Wireless Security: A Comparative Analysis for the Next Generation Networks

New wireless technologies such as WiMAX, NFC and ZigBee are rapidly being adopted, along with existing wireless standards such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GSM and other cellular technologies. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have already become notorious for severe security shortcomings during their relatively brief existence. New vulnerabilities and exploits are reported and demonstrated every week on live public networks. The credibility of these wireless technologies has been damaged by security incidents, stemming from fundamental problems in requirement gathering, implementation quality and protocol design. Despite boasts of hardened security measures, security researchers and black-hat hackers keep humiliating vendors.