Stricter Control Planned Over Wireless Connection
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Government officials are considering imposing security requirements on users of wireless Internet access points (AP) at homes and offices, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) said.
Although authorities claim that vulnerable access points could be easily used by high-tech criminals for malicious online attacks and theft, some consumers and telecommunications companies are concerned whether the new rules will cause inconveniences in the daily Internet experience.
The plans considered by the KCC include mandating username and password authentication for connecting to all access points. Individuals or companies using default usernames or passwords that are publically available or easy to guess will also be required to change their settings, officials said.
There are about 3.15 million access points used by individual Internet users at homes, not counting the 1.65 million devices provided by telecommunications companies like KT and LG Dacom to their telephony and broadband Internet customers, according to government figures.
``We are more concerned about the devices used by individuals at homes than the access points installed by telecommunications companies,'' a KCC official said.
``Strengthening security requirements for the use of access points is critical in making the country's Internet environment safer. But since the devices are part of private properties owned by individuals, the government didn't have any legal grounds to control the way the devices were to be used.''
The country has become a convenient place for wireless Internet connectivity, with free Wi-Fi networks easily located in public spaces like buildings and streets. The increasing use of wireless access points at homes, aided by the spread of portable computing devices and Internet telephony, is also bringing changes to the way the Internet is accessed and used.
Not many Koreans who use access points at home bother to protect their network with security settings, not minding too much the neighbor upstairs getting a few minutes of free Internet.
However, government authorities claim that such a lax mindset will result in more security holes.
KT, the country's biggest telephone company and Internet service provider, is one of the telecommunications companies pushing for stronger security standards for wireless Internet access.
The company is also the country's No.2 mobile telephony operator and is close to releasing Apple's widely popular handset, iPhone, to the local market.
Wi-Fi is a key feature of Apple's iconic ``smart'' phone, which allows Web browsing and multimedia features on top of voice. However, the idea of iPhone users logging on to freely available access points is a disturbing idea for KT, which is worried about less user revenue per user.
On the other hand, LG Dacom, which has been stealing away KT's fixed-line customers with its cheaper voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services, is worried that stricter rules on wireless access points might make its Internet telephony services less desirable.
The company is selling Wi-Fi wireless handsets and access points to its VoIP customers, with the devices coming with built-in usernames and passwords that users can change later.