Back to municipal Wi-Fi security again (I'll get onto other topics as soon as I get all of this out, I swear). There are two important things left to cover though: transmission security and device security. If you're new to this topic of muni Wi-Fi security, please have a look at some of my previous posts first, in order to catch up (Part I, Part II, and Part III).
I'll start with transmission security, which generally gets a lot of discussion. Transmission security really covers everything that you send or receive over the wireless network after you're "connected". Now...
In a time not so long ago the world was a very different place—in terms of mobile phone software upgrades at least. For many years now, several smaller companies in the cellular handset industry have provided a means for users to upgrade the firmware of their devices at home. These firmware upgrades are typically carried out using a computer—on which the firmware files are stored—and a connecting cable (or desk stand) for the cellular device. Sadly, this was not always true for the larger players; the result of which was that when a vulnerability was discovered, the user would first have to learn of it and then take their handset into a service center to be upgraded. This method isn’t very practical and would be pretty low on the priority list for most, if not all but the seriously security conscious.
Well, I applaud Nokia for their recent change of heart to allow users to perform their own D-I-Y...
