Geek Alert! Laptops at the FleetCenter at risk of breaches, attack

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

Excerpt from The Boston Globe:

The Democratic National Convention will attract thousands of visitors armed with laptop computers that feature wireless Internet access. And that could be a formula for disaster, according to a Boston data security firm that recently ran a vulnerability test in the area around the FleetCenter.

Michael Maggio, the president of Newbury Networks Inc., said that unless proper precautions are taken, computer vandals will be able to tap into these laptops by using wireless transmitters located outside of the FleetCenter. The attackers could then use the compromised laptops to gain access to the computer network used to run the convention. The vandals could obtain sensitive information related to the campaign of presidential candidate John Kerry. Or they could unleash an attack that would bring down the network and throw the convention into chaos.

"It's part of the security . . . that people aren't thinking about, not because they're dumb, but because we didn't have this four years ago," Maggio said.

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Great! In addition to protestors, disruptors and infiltrators, now we have to worry about hackers attacking!