As the hackers of this world become more and more sophisticated there are real concerns that corporate networks may come under more severe cyber attacks over the coming years. We are seeing signs of new and more powerful viruses, hacking systems always seem to be one step ahead, but more importantly there are still many employers who are not giving network protection the time and investment which it deserves. So what is happening?

The move towards wireless networks has been a god send to many areas of society but it is a logistical and security nightmare for many computer staff. While employees have welcomed the increased mobility which Wi-Fi offers, few companies are taking even the simplest of precautions to ensure that both staff and data are safe from outside influences. We have also seen more and more people looking to work from home and use their personal computers to log onto the corporate network. So what can be done?

Over the next few years we are set to see a greater emphasis placed on the likes of virus protection and firewalls, the simplest of the safety systems which are readily available to the masses. If you are logging onto a network via a wireless link then you need to ensure that your laptop or desk top is never compromised. You also need to ensure that there is no spyware, key recording or other malicious software installed which could also compromise network security. Too many firms are happy to hand out external log in details to many of their staff without fully understanding the implications and the possible issues which may arise.

Make no doubt about it, wireless communication is here to stay but we do need to address the issue of how best we can secure these systems, while at the same time giving uninterrupted access to those who need it. Life in your company computer department has never been easy!