Consuming Interests: WiMAX Watch: Security questions asked and answered - News and tips for consumers on shopping, saving money, deals and credit

I spotted this van yesterday on N. Calvert Street, in downtown Baltimore, just south of the city Circuit Courthouse. Sprint and Intel have tricked out vans that can be seen spotted around the city in their marketing push to promote Sprint's new XOHM network, which is a next-generation wireless broadband network. (ed note: a la Gus -- DD)

The network will support high-speed broadband access for desktop computers, laptops and other wireless devices that will start to hit the market in coming months. Intel is making the WiMAX chip that will soon be embedded in computers. Intel is just one of several companies that will be making WiMAX chips, which we expect to start turning up embedded in a lot of different electronic gadgets, not just computers.

Reader Bob asked this question yesterday:

Gus, I'd like to know about the security issues involved in WiMax. I think it's a great idea for fun stuff like web surfing, downloading videos, audio, etc, but what about those of us who conduct financial transactions (banking and buying things online with credit cards) over the internet. I've been doing this for over 10 years now and I NEVER use a wireless connection, even with encryption, for these transactions. A hard wired connection is a must for for me for security purposes. Any information you can provide regarding this issue while the trial is in town would be much appreciated.

Bob, I sent Sprint your question and their spokesman, John Polivka, told me that their WiMAX offering "goes it one better" with the security they're providing with the XOHM network when compared to their other networks. He said local governments are looking at WiMAX as an option for their operational communications.

I plan on talking to one or two more experts today to follow up on your question some more. But for now, what follows is some tech-speak, from Sprint, on how the company will secure its WiMAX network:

Sprint Nextel's Ali Tabassi, vice president for technology development said (through Polivka) that his company "plans to use mutual authentication, including EAP, to reduce the threat of rogue base stations and man-in-the middle attacks....Sprint Nextel plans to change encryption keys frequently to prevent session hijacking and spoofing of management frames...[and] plans to deploy detection/mitigation solutions to address attacks against its networks."

Basically, in plain English, Sprint is going to use a variety of different methods and security standards -- many set by the WiMAX industry forum -- to maintain security on its XOHM network.

Also, Sprint has an excellent Q&A on its Web site about security, too.

Keep the questions coming.

(photo by Gus Sentementes)