Showing posts with label security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label security. Show all posts

Cloud Security Risks and How to Protect Your Business

Cloud security audit

The cloud offers many benefits to businesses, such as scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. However, it also presents security risks that can compromise a company's sensitive data and operations. Here are some common cloud security risks and ways to protect your company:

  1. Data breaches: Data breaches are a significant concern for companies that store sensitive data in the cloud. To protect against data breaches, companies should use strong encryption methods, implement multi-factor authentication, and restrict access to data on a need-to-know basis.
  2. Insider threats: Insiders with privileged access to cloud data can also pose a security risk. Companies should implement security protocols to detect and prevent insider threats, such as monitoring access logs and conducting regular security training for employees.
  3. Malware attacks: Malware attacks can occur when hackers gain access to a company's cloud system through phishing emails or other means. Companies should use anti-malware software and implement regular software updates to protect against these types of attacks.
  4. DDoS attacks: Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks can occur when hackers flood a company's cloud system with traffic, causing it to crash. To protect against DDoS attacks, companies should implement firewalls and use load balancing to distribute traffic across multiple servers.
  5. Loss of data: Data loss can occur due to hardware failures, software errors, or human error. To protect against data loss, companies should implement regular data backups and disaster recovery plans.

Overall, protecting your company in the cloud requires a comprehensive security strategy that includes regular monitoring, frequent security updates, and employee training. By taking a proactive approach to cloud security, companies can mitigate the risks and reap the benefits of cloud computing

Does Your Company Need A Cloud Security Audit?

A cloud security audit is a process of evaluating and testing the security controls and practices in place for a cloud computing environment. The goal of a cloud security audit is to identify any weaknesses or vulnerabilities in the security of the cloud infrastructure and ensure that appropriate measures are in place to protect sensitive data and systems.

The cloud security audit process typically involves the following steps:

  1. Define the scope: Determine the cloud services and systems that will be audited.
  2. Develop an audit plan: Establish a comprehensive plan that outlines the objectives, testing methodologies, and tools to be used in the audit.
  3. Conduct the audit: Execute the audit plan by conducting tests, reviewing policies and procedures, and interviewing key personnel.
  4. Analyze findings: Analyze the results of the audit to identify any weaknesses, vulnerabilities, or compliance issues.
  5. Make recommendations: Develop recommendations for addressing any identified issues and improving the overall security posture of the cloud environment.
  6. Follow up: Ensure that the recommended actions are implemented and monitor the effectiveness of the changes over time.

Overall, a cloud security audit is a critical component of any cloud security program, as it helps to identify areas of risk and provides guidance for improving the security of the cloud environment.

How City Government Planning Can Improve Wireless Reception

notice of public hearing cell tower

City government planning plays a crucial role in improving wireless reception and ensuring reliable connectivity for residents and businesses. 

Here are several ways in which city government planning can contribute to better wireless reception:

Should All Wireless Devices Be Securely Registered To A Person or Business?

Triangulation of Cell Phone For Identification

It is generally advisable to securely register all wireless devices to a person or business for several reasons:

What Your Business Needs to Know About Mobile Cybersecurity

cybe security

Cybersecurity is a key issue for businesses of all sizes today, but there is often a large focus on devices such as PC computers and laptops. Mobile devices, however, are becoming more and more important in the workplace and should not be ignored when it comes to cybersecurity. After all, mobile devices connect to the network in the same way as any other device and can be intercepted by hackers. There are a few steps to take to optimize mobile security for your business, which include:

Visibility

Knowing all of the devices that are connected to your IT network is key to mobile security optimization. Without this awareness, your company is facing blind spots and there may be potential vulnerabilities in connected mobile devices that you are not aware of. It’s important to perform regular audits on all mobile devices that connect to the network, analyzing each individual device and how it is used. The purpose of these audits is to help you determine which devices your employees are using and if there are any security vulnerabilities in their usage, such as regular connections to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. A reputable IT support and management company can help you get started with this.

Patching and Revisits

When it comes to both traditional and mobile cybersecurity, it’s important to remember that just because something worked well in the past, it might not work the same today. Cybercriminals are continuously updating their cyberattacks and the strategies that they use to overcome the security measures that are currently in place, and as a result, companies need to be fast to make changes and updates to ensure that they remain secure. This includes updating any automated test configurations, such as postman environment variables, used for security assessments.  It’s important to have a mobile device management solution in place to successfully do this.

Employee Education

Mobile security optimization is mostly about the fact that mobile devices alone do not usually lead to the majority of cybersecurity issues. Instead, it is often the employees that use the devices that are usually the main cause. To best achieve mobile cybersecurity in your business, it’s important to include it as a key part of employee cybersecurity training and education, since many people are simply unaware of how their actions might impact cybersecurity and lead to a breach. The more your employees know and understand when it comes to mobile cybersecurity, the better.

The Internet of Things

As the world becomes more connected, it’s important to ensure that your efforts to optimize mobile security include more than just mobile devices. With a growing number of IoT devices in company networks, these can lead to more risks and vulnerabilities, since the majority of IoT devices do not come with cybersecurity firmware included. As a result, they are often the main entry point for hackers who will target them as potential entry points into company networks. Because of this, it’s worth looking for cybersecurity solutions that are specially designed to include IoT devices if your company makes regular use of them.

With mobile and IoT devices becoming an increasingly important part of the workplace today, it’s important to make mobile cybersecurity a priority in your business. 

Top 3 Ways to Protect Your iPhone in 2021

grey iphone black background

Although iPhones are the most secure smartphones on the market today, you shouldn’t fall prey to the misconception that they’re impervious to cyber-attacks and other threats. Any device that can connect to the internet can theoretically be hacked into and all devices are vulnerable to physical theft. Fortunately, there are always additional security measures that you can employ to protect your device and the data inside of it. If you own an iPhone, you must educate yourself on the different risks iPhone users face and learn how to protect it.

What Security Threats do iPhone Users Face?

Most hackers appreciate a challenge, especially when it leads to a great reward. For these reasons, iPhones are a major target. Not only is iOS already the most secure operating system to date, but the people who own iPhones tend to be more affluent and use the phones for purposes like business and making financial transactions.

The number-one cyber threat that iPhone users face is phishing. Hackers may impersonate someone you know or someone you would trust from a reputable company. They may lure you in through email links or links in private messages that lead to a site where malware gets into the phone and infects it, or where you would share confidential information like passwords or account numbers. Phishing can also be done through fake apps.

Another threat for iPhone users is the physical theft of the device. In such cases, thieves may go after the data in the phone or sell the phone itself. iPhones are major targets for thieves because the value of the phones, and usually the data inside of them, is higher than that of most other smartphones on the market.

3 Simple Ways to Protect Your iPhone

There are a few simple steps you can take to ensure your iPhone is secure.

Use a VPN to Browse the Web

Downloading a VPN and using it to connect to the internet keeps your data encrypted and your IP address masked. If you connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots or make regular financial transactions over the internet, using a VPN and a private or incognito browser is a good way to make sure your data is protected. Signing up for a VPN free trial is a great way for you to get familiar with the tool and see how it works before committing.

Set a Secure Password and Enable 2FA

Setting a custom alphanumeric password and enabling two-factor authentication is a recipe that will ensure that no one can get access to your data. A custom alphanumeric password is impossible to guess, and 2FA means that a secret password created in real-time and sent to another device of your choosing will have to be entered every time your password is.

Utilize Your iPhone’s Built-In Security Settings

Get familiar with the array of built-in security settings that the iPhone offers and set them to your personal preference. There are several settings designed to keep your iPhone even more secure if you have them enabled and set properly.

Follow the top three security tips above to keep your iPhone and data safe in 2021.

Writer’s bio:

Matthew Stern

Matthew Stern is a technology content strategist at TechFools, a tech blog aiming at informing readers about the potential dangers of technology and introducing them to the best ways to protect themselves online.

As a tech enthusiast and an advocate for digital freedom, Matthew is dedicated to introducing his readers to the latest technology trends and teaching them how to gain control over their digital lives.

What Is The ‘Dangerous’ Wi-Fi Setting On Your iPhone?

dangerous wifi setting

There are various cyber threats targeting your iPhone, including phishing attacks that lead to malicious websites, targeted emails that contain high-risk attachments, and even texts designed to crash your computer. In locking down its hardware and software, Apple does a fantastic job. But if you don't take basic precautions on your own, there isn't anything that Apple can do. And with one Wi-Fi feature that you need to disable on your computer, that's certainly the case. 

By now, airports, shopping centers, coffee shops, supermarkets, and hotels should all be well aware of the risks of public Wi-Fi. Convenient and generally secure, saving our data plans and ensuring that when away from home, we can use our phones normally. But if you connect your iPhone to a hotel, coffee shop, Wi-Fi airport, or restaurant, the risks are likely to be much, much worse than they need to be.

Yet again this month, as Americans gradually operate away from workplaces and sometimes homes, the FBI has warned users to beware of the dangers of public Wi-Fi. Hotels now advertising distraction-free spaces for those working from home have been highlighted by the FBI. Through developing their own malicious network with a similar name to the hotel's network, criminals may execute a 'evil twin attack.' "Instead of the hotel, visitors can then accidentally connect to the criminal's network." But attacks can be much simpler than this. 

When you connect to public Wi-Fi, to select a connection, you depend on the network's service set identifier, its SSID. This is also the name of the restaurant, coffee shop or bar, which is supposed to make things simple. Your iPhone will then connect to that Wi-Fi again and again automatically, each time you return to the venue, intended for convenience. But the easy convenience is a big security risk you have to handle.

"Many devices are designed to connect to established hotspots automatically," warns security researcher Sean Wright. In order to communicate, victims don't need to do something. They just have to be within range. In order to provide legitimacy, there are corporate Wi-Fi solutions that use certificates, but I have not seen any of these hotspots use them. 

This security risk is so extreme that it can be taken to the stage of satire. Public Wi-fi will still be at risk, "says Ian Thornton-Trump, Cyjax CISO." "I saw a Starbucks and a Subway Wi-Fi connection point once, flying 35,000 feet from Newark to Vegas." 

"I would stop any public network auto-joining," Wright says. You're never sure who's behind it. It also makes spoofing them all too easy because they are public and available. What he suggests is that with the same SSID, an attacker can set up their own Wi-Fi hotspot. It's as simple as that. And when in range, your phone will happily connect if you have previously linked to the legal network with that SSID.

Worse, the iPhone is actively looking for familiar Wi-Fi networks, "sending out probes for hotspots to which it wants to link," says Wright, "so that[an attacker] can stand-up hotspots with those SSIDs, a Wi-Fi Pineapple-built capability," malicious routers designed to intercept traffic. But there is, in fact, no need for special equipment. Nothing more than a cell phone is needed. "I was in the hotel lobby," says Wright, "and in a matter of minutes, I set up my 'free' hotspot and had five devices attached." 

"ESET's Jake Moore says," With more remote work than ever, it may be tempting to use a coffee shop for a change of scenery. But free Wi-Fi can not always be what you want it to be. When it comes to communicating without worrying about security risks, many people forget that public Wi-Fi can be unsafe and become complacent.

And if we use these public Wi-Fi networks when operating under coronavirus restrictions away from workplaces, then we risk damaging the networks and data of our employers, not just our own. "Connecting personal or business devices to the wireless network of a hotel," says the FBI, "can allow malicious actors to compromise the device of the individual and then access the guest's employer's business network." 

"While unlikely," Moore says, "if a threat actor controls the Wi-Fi that the target is connected to, it is possible to obtain information from a computer." Moore urges users to stick to cellular connections. But when working, it isn't always realistic. "When you are in desperate need to use an unknown hotspot, a VPN will help," he says.

Nicola Whiting, Chief Strategy Officer at Titania, echoes this appeal to use a VPN if you have to use hotspots. "Protect it if you link it. If you're willing to spend $10 or more on eating and drinking out, and you know you're going to use public Wi-Fi, many of us can spend some time and money ensuring you have in-built security, even though it's a risk." 

This is wise advice. But if you have a VPN, make sure it's a reputable, paid-for one. Free VPNs are sometimes worse than no VPN at all, including those supported by ads. Just because an app claims it's a safe VPN doesn't mean anything. Good VPNs will also allow you to locate trustworthy Wi-Fi networks, such as home and work, and all the others will enable the VPN to load automatically. This is perfect.

All that said, you should not enter public hotspots automatically. "Go to" Wi-Fi, "in your iPhone settings, and make sure that" Ask to Join Networks "is set to" Ask, "and that" Auto-Join Hotspot "is set to" Ask to Join. "This will prevent your iPhone from connecting to new or known networks or personal hotspots without you realizing it, giving you the chance to exercise caution before clicking" Yes.

Much more importantly, next to any public network you connect to, you can click on the blue-circled 'i' and disable the 'Auto-Join' function. You don't need to click on "Forget This Network," but if you are unlikely to be back, you can do that. You monitor where and when your iPhone connects in this way. When you are in a cafe or sitting in an aisle seat at 35,000 feet, this will keep you from connecting to the Wi-Fi of a coffee shop.

If you do these two things, when you need to use public Wi-Fi, you choose auto-join for any public network you connect to and use a reputable VPN, then you would have taken appropriate steps to keep your computer safe. That said, prudent security advice is to absolutely avoid public Wi-Fi. However, if you do, the FBI advises, "make sure to confirm the network name and the exact login procedures." Your purpose is to keep them from unintentionally connecting to the Wi-Fi of a fraudster that they are attempting to make look legitimate.

How to Recover a Stolen Phone

We use our phones for everything. Our phones keep track of our appointments, store important information, and help us keep track of the world around us. If your phone has been stolen, then you probably feel like a major piece of your life is missing. Worse, your data is in danger of being used by the wrong people. 

Even if your phone has a passcode, it’s important to protect and recover your data as soon as possible. With Drivestrike, protecting that data is simple. Whether or not you have Drivestrike, though, here’s a guide that may help you recover your phone and protect your information. 

How to Recover Your Phone with Drivestrike 

If you have Drivestrike, issue a remote wipe immediately. This action will remove all of the data that can be used to steal your identity, harm your company, or perform any other threat. 

Next, is your phone a company resource? Does it contain company information? If so, notify your manager and IT team right away so that they can safeguard their data. 

After that, you should notify the police that your phone has been stolen. Use your Drivestrike account to access your phone’s location, and then let the police know where it is. You can also use Drivestrike to access helpful information like your phone’s serial number, which will aid the police even further. 

Finally, we recommend changing the passwords of any accounts that you used on your phone. This action can provide some protection in case your data was accessed before you performed the remote wipe. It doesn't fully guarantee protection, but it does decrease your chances of data theft. 

How to Recover Your Phone if You Don’t Have Drivestrike 

Without Drivestrike, recovering your phone and its data will be more complicated, but it’s not impossible. 

First, if you’ve stored usernames and passwords in your phone, change those usernames and passwords immediately to protect your data, and implement two-factor authentication whenever possible. 

Next, if your phone was issued by your company, or if your phone contains company information, let your manager and IT team know that the phone was stolen. 

Now, if you have any information about your phone, including details like the make, model, and serial number, keep those details in mind. You can use that information when you contact the police. If you don’t have that information, contact your phone carrier. They can provide the information and disable your phone remotely. 

Now that you have the information you need, consider the details of the theft. When and where do you think your phone was stolen? This information will give the police a general idea of how they might recover your phone. For instance, if you think that your phone was stolen in a place with security cameras, the police may access those cameras to get a description of the thief. 

Finally, you can check eBay and local pawn shops to see if the thief has attempted to sell your phone. 

Use Drivestrike in Case of Phone Theft 

It’s difficult but not impossible to install Drivestrike on a stolen phone. We may be able to entice the thief to install Drivestrike under a different name. If we’re successful, we can remotely wipe the data from the phone and determine its location. 

Once your phone has been recovered, or once you get a new one, we recommend installing Drivestrike on your device. Drivestrike protects your important data in case of theft or loss, and it’s available for less than $1 per device per month when protecting multiple devices. 

Please contact Drivestrike if we can help you during this time. Phone loss is a stressful situation, and our team is here to help. 

How Do I Remove Google Prevented Suspicious Sign In To Your Account Using Your Password Notification?

review activity now
Why won't this notification bar go away?  

I traveled to a new location during the Thanksgiving Holiday now this notification won't go away after several verification attempts that the Unknown Device was me.  Now each time I sign into Google this notification appears on the top of my browser.  Can someone please help?   



5 Reasons Why You Must VPN for Private Web Browsing (VPN)

A Virtual Private Network is a secure tunnel established between your PC and a VPN server and all your web traffic is encrypted and sent through the tunnel. When you use a VPN connection, your actual IP address is masked and it becomes difficult for eavesdroppers to track your online activity since the entire traffic is encrypted through the VPN tunnel. Though using a VPN connection will slow down your bandwidth by 30-40%, there are several advantages of using a secured VPN tunnel for private web browsing as listed below.

1. Downloading and Uploading of P2P Files without Getting Tracked

Virtual private networks are essential if you wish to enjoy unrestricted access to the internet along with total protection. It is illegal in many countries to download pirated content such as movies, music, TV from Torrent sites. By using a VPN tunnel you can share files with your friends using a P2P (peer-to-peer) connection securely. You can hide your IP address and location using a VPN connection and it will be difficult to trace your online activities.

2. Using Public Wi-Fi Securely

We always feel uncomfortable while using free Wi-Fi available in hotels, airports, shopping malls, and coffee shops, etc. since we are doubtful whether it’s secure and if anyone will eavesdrop on us. Since these Wi-Fi connections are open and your web traffic is not encrypted, it can be easy for hackers to eavesdrop and steal all your confidential data. Any person with access to the same public Wi-Fi can intercept all your web traffic using a simple plugin Firefox tamper data and steal your passwords, contacts, credit card information, and all your confidential data. By using a secure VPN tunnel for browsing, you can make it impossible for hackers to eavesdrop since all your data will be encrypted.

3. Access Geo-Blocked Content and Bypass Content Censorship
When it comes to online streaming, every country has its own rules and regulations which make it difficult to watch your favorite TV shows and music broadcasted by companies like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, etc. outside the United States. Due to certain copyright agreements, even some videos on YouTube are blocked in certain countries. Using a VPN service helps to masquerade your IP address and change your location as if you are browsing from the US or a different country. This can help you bypass content censorship and watch your favorite videos online. Even some popular services like Gmail, Facebook, and other Google services are blocked in certain countries like China. By using a VPN connection, you can bypass such restrictions and access these services through a secure VPN tunnel.  

4. Search securely without your data being logged
All the popular search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo will log all your web search history which is linked to the IP address of your PC. By using a VPN service, you can hide your IP address and hence there won’t be logging related to your search history which allows you to maintain your privacy during web browsing.

5. Secure your VoIP calls

People use Skype, Google Duo, Lync, and other services for online chatting through VoIP calls. Hackers can eavesdrop on your Voice-over-IP calls easily using certain promiscuous monitoring tools. Hence, you should secure your VoIP calls using a VPN tunnel so that all your voice data will be encrypted and sent through the tunnel. This ensures greater privacy and protection of your sensitive information.

A VPN connection can also be used to bypass any restrictions made by the network administrator in your workplace or school. There are VPN products available in the market and you should compare the pros and cons of each product before you decide to purchase it. There are comparisons available for different products like the article Expressvpn vs Nordvpn which describes the performance, features, customer service, and pricing of both products.

Does the US Have an Emergency Cell Phone and Internet Shut Off Switch?

Does the US have emergency shut-off switch for the internet and cell phones?  Unfortunately, only a few people in the Government and within the telecommunications industry know and we will not likely find out anytime in the near future.  However, a huge event in telecommunications history happened this week in Egypt. A large country of 80 million people suddenly had their cell phones and internet turned off. I think we all know why the government did it. To control information flow and hamper the ability for its citizens to gather easily in one place. How did they do it? Read more at Gizmodo.


Ironically one of the people CNBC interviewed today while in Davos, Switzerland was Sean Parker who is one of the co-founders of Facebook and Napster. I thought it was rather timely considering the disruption both of his companies have caused on various industries. So is Facebook and Twitter the new offensive and defensive tools for governments to use?  Is the internet going to get turned off the next time the US has an emergency crisis?  Does Listen to Seans interview.  

Tap and Pay Mobile iPhone & Android Wallet Is Amazing

Tap and Pay Mobile Android Phones Are Awesome

180 million Americans use credit and debit cards to shop today and the market is growing even more rapidly Worldwide as credit becomes more accessible. Android's upcoming version 2.2 (named Gingerbread) is apparently going to support a touch and pay system that will use near-field communications and GPS to make a payment on the mobile phone. The new Android phones will have a chip that let you tap your phone against special sensors to complete a specific action like paying with a credit card. Many pundits will likely say there are security risks but hopefully, Google will take the transaction layer out of the hands of the carrier and put it into a company like PayPal who has likely seen every scam their is.  I would also expect Google to just provide the infrastructure layer as well and an API so retailers can easily build upon applications. The credit card industry already has standards which Google will be proliferating on mobile devices so pundits don't have to worry about industry fragmentation.  This could enabled tremendously fast adoption and will likely spur many new companies. No longer will Android phone users need to carry a wallet with credit cards and loyalt cards.  Companies like Groupon should be scared!

China Mobile Phone Text Virus is Spreading


Smartphone Wifi security and now viruses on cellphones are something new to worry about.  It looks like China has now been hit by a particularly difficult "zombie" virus.  Shanghai Daily, says a so-called "zombie" virus disguised as an anti-virus app has infected more than one million cellphone users in China. It has left mobile phone users vulnerable to the malicious hackers. The "zombie" virus is hidden in a fake anti-virus app. Once the app is installed, the virus sends all of the names and phone numbers on a user's SIM card to the hackers, who then automatically take control of the phone, sending spam texts out to recipients.

The texts include lots of links that infect other phones with the same virus. The texts are also sent to pay-to-text phones that suck those users dry of messaging fees. The virus has spread to 1 million users, and continues to run rampant on mobile networks. The government is having a difficult time finding the hackers, but the Chinese National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team Center is working to get to the bottom of it.

Its not clear which mobile phones or mobile operating systems are experiencing the virus problems but would appreciate any feedback from users who have some insight into this.

Are Smartphones Secure on Wifi Hotspots?

Smartphone Security on Open Wifi Networks
Are smartphones secure on open wifi networks or are they vulnerable to attacks like PCs and laptops are?  As mobile phone users start preferring to offload data to wifi will security be the fear factor sales pitch? Hotspot shield has garnered lots of attention around the world and still remains one of the most downloaded applications for laptops.  However, is the threat the same for using on iPhone or Anroid phones?  My gut tells me its still a conspiracy similar to all of the large anti-virus companies who have benefited from the worms and viruses.  I still have yet to hear about one concrete example of a phone user getting hacked while using a smartphone at a hotspot or while offloading data from an application.  We searched for "hotspot shield" in the Android marketplace and didn't find anything.

Can smartphone users connecting to unencrypted Wi-Fi hotspots be compromised by attackers using an existing tools?  Can usernames and password combinations be captured?  We would like to hear from industry experts if this is true and we would like to see some examples or video. 

UMA Phone + Wi-Fi = Home Cell Coverage



Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) provides access to cellular mobile voice and data services over unlicensed spectrum technologies, such Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (802.11). A UMA phone will use a cellular networks (GSM, CDMA, etc.) when out and about, and automatically switch to a UMA-enabled Bluetooth or Wi-Fi local network when in range, such as at home or in the office. UMA technology is the 3GPP global standard for fixed-mobile convergence. UMA enables secure, scalable access to mobile voice, data and IMS services over broadband IP access networks. By deploying UMA technology, mobile operators can deliver a number of compelling fixed-mobile convergence services. The most well-known applications of UMA include dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi handsets and 3G femtocells access points.

Leading operators around the world have embraced UMA technology as the foundation for their fixed-mobile convergence strategy, including Orange/France Telecom, British Telecom, T-Mobile US, TeliaSonera, Netcom, Saunalahti and Cincinnati Bell. UMA enables secure, scalable access to mobile voice, data and IMS services over broadband IP access networks. By deploying UMA technology, mobile operators can deliver a number of compelling fixed-mobile convergence services. The most well-known applications of UMA include dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi handsets and 3G femtocells access points. Leading operators around the world have embraced UMA technology as the foundation for their fixed-mobile convergence strategy, including Orange/France Telecom, British Telecom, T-Mobile US, TeliaSonera, Netcom, Saunalahti and Cincinnati Bell.

Improving coverage in areas where cellular signals are weak is an important issue for many organizations. UMA extends coverage to the workplace without forcing employees to change the way they use their cell phones. The only difference is that the phone will switch to Wi-Fi when it loses cellular coverage. To improve coverage with UMA, an organization sets up Wi-Fi access points in areas with poor cellular coverage to overcome coverage gaps and call dead zones. Companies with state-of-the-art, centrally managed wireless LANs (WLAN) can make a global configuration change to enable Wi-Fi UMA access from any location.

UMA-enabled Dual-Mode Wi-Fi Handsets: By far the most well-known UMA service is dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi handsets (DMH), which enables operators to provide high-performance, low-cost mobile services to subscribers when in range of a home, office or public Wi-Fi network. With a UMA-enabled dual-mode Wi-Fi handset, subscribers can automatically roam and handover between cellular and Wi-Fi access, receiving a consistent set of services as they transition between networks.

UMA-enabled Femtocells: UMA-enabled femtocells represent a growing UMA service opportunity. The wireless industry has been searching for low-cost licensed indoor coverage solutions since the beginning of mobile networks. Unfortunately, the bulk of this opportunity (i.e. residential environments) has been beyond the addressable market for cost and operational reasons. To be successful, a residential licensed access point (i.e. femtocell) deployment must include low-cost femtocells (under €150), a reasonable approach for managing RF interference, and a standard, scalable, IP-based approach for core network integration.
UMA Today publishes the UMA Today Magazine, maintains the website, hosts Webinars and is involved in other industry activity to promote UMA technology. For more information, please visit

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