Speaking at the 802.11 Planet Conference here, security professionals pointed to a lack of focus on hardening the wireless infrastructure as a flaw in government discussions about protecting the nation's critical infrastructure.

"There are a lot of networks behind wireless (access points), so we have to see ourselves as a part of the larger whole," said Daniel Devasirvatham, vice president of the wireless systems group at government contractor SAIC.

Devasirvatham said SAIC has disconnected its wireless networks until the company is sure they are secure, but many other companies' networks are wide open because attackers could enter through the wireless local area network.

In July, President's Bush's special adviser on cybersecurity, Richard Clarke, told security experts that users and makers of wireless equipment were among the five top groups responsible for the Internet's insecurity.

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