Experts agree on one point: As the popularity of wireless local-area networking gear grows for small businesses and consumers, break-ins on unsecured networks are likely to become more common and increasingly involve criminal activity, experts said. Wi-Fi shipments are expected to . . .
Experts agree on one point: As the popularity of wireless local-area networking gear grows for small businesses and consumers, break-ins on unsecured networks are likely to become more common and increasingly involve criminal activity, experts said. Wi-Fi shipments are expected to nearly quadruple from a projected 9.8 million units this year to 47.4 million units by 2007, according to research firm Synergy Research Group.

Tracking down open Wi-Fi ports while in a car, a practice known as "war driving," is a simple task with the proper radio scanning equipment. Once a wireless network is identified, war drivers may mark the spot, such as a building, with symbols in chalk to indicate to others what type of network is accessible and its security features.

According to research by the WorldWide WarDrive, more than two-thirds of the roughly 88,100 access points found by war drivers around the globe this year did not have basic security settings activated.