WiMAX Security Gaps Present Revenue Opportunities, According to ABI Research

Business Wire, Jan 4, 2007

NEW YORK -- The year 2007 will see a number of mobile WiMAX deployments. Contrary to many users' expectations, WiMAX does have a number of security vulnerabilities. The need to plug those gaps in its defenses creates attractive revenue opportunities for security solutions vendors, which are explored in a new ABI Research Brief.

"They say that if you don't learn from the past, you are doomed to repeat it," says vice president Stan Schatt. "Early Wi-Fi consumers enjoyed a false sense of security until there were some well-publicized hacking exploits. The WiMAX Forum has emphasized how much more secure WiMAX is than early Wi-Fi. As a result, there may be WiMAX customers who are similarly lulled into a false sense of security." The flaws, says Schatt, should begin to show themselves once the first big WiMAX rollouts occur.

Gaps in WiMAX security fall into three categories: user terminals, intrusion detection, and connectivity service networks. User terminals will need encryption acceleration to handle AES processing demands. At the edge of WiMAX networks, access service networks offer the ideal place for vendors to add intrusion detection and protection software and hardware. Connectivity service networks, as part of carrier back offices, will require stateful firewall software or robust firewall appliances, as well as additional RADIUS servers to handle the extra load imposed by roaming clients on WiMAX authentication.

With the exception of a few large corporations such as Motorola, Nortel, and Alcatel, few WiMAX vendors have the internal expertise to fill all of these gaps. This leaves the field open for a number of smaller specialized developers to create and supply solutions. "To some extent, WiMAX security specialists will attempt to sell solutions directly to end- users," says Schatt, "but the lesson learned from Wi-Fi is that these products are most attractive to customers when tightly integrated. So most WiMAX security solutions will be offered through partnerships with WiMAX equipment vendors."

Schatt concludes, "Like the early prospectors in the California gold rush, WiMAX vendors may or may not strike it rich. But, like the merchants who sold miners their picks, shovels, and necessary supplies, the providers of WiMAX security tools - companies such as Cavium Networks, AirTight Networks, and Redline Communications - will almost certainly prosper."

"WiMAX Security Issues" (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/research_brief/Mobile_Broadband_R esearch_Brief/102) details the upcoming opportunities for creation and implementation of WiMAX security enhancements. It forms part of the Mobile Broadband Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Mobile_Broadband_Research _Service), which also includes Research Reports, other Research Briefs, Market Data, ABI Insights and analyst inquiry support. (Due to length, these URLs may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services and market reports in broadband and multimedia, RFID & contactless, M2M, wireless connectivity, mobile wireless, transportation and emerging technologies. For information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call 1.516.624.2500.