I hope they're using something other than WEP for their encryption. They mention they use 128-bit encryption, but they didn't say what they were using. WEP is broken. And SSL is vulnerable to man in the middle attacks. An attacker could have a field day just sitting in their parking lot. Jay > -----Original Message----- > From: Nate Carlson [mailto:natecars at real-time.com] > Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 10:47 AM > To: Twin Cities Wireless Users Group > Subject: [TCWUG] [Fw: [nycwireless] the wireless-est place on earth?] > > > Intersting article! > > -- > Nate Carlson <natecars at real-time.com> | Phone : (952)943-8700 > http://www.real-time.com | Fax : (952)943-8500 > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 10:43:50 -0500 > From: Andrew Raff <ARaff at emarketer.com> > To: "nycwireless at lists.spack.org" <nycwireless at lists.spack.org> > Subject: [nycwireless] the wireless-est place on earth? > > On any given day, between 100,000 and 150,000 visitors crowd > into Walt Disney World in Florida, largely unaware that the > 47-square-mile theme park is almost completely enveloped by > an invisible wireless Web. > > http://www.computerworld.com/storyba/0,4125,NAV47_STO65816,00.html > > While families and other patrons watch Goofy and Mickey Mouse > on parade, seek thrills on rides or head for the nearest hot > dog stand, the attraction's 55,000 "cast members," as Disney > employees are called, quietly rely on an 802.11b LAN to do > everything from authorize credit card purchases, order up > shuttle buses and even track visitors as they wander through the park. > > Murshid S. Khan, director of telecommunications and > technology support at Walt Disney World , talked about the > theme park's use of wireless technology during Stamford, > Conn.-based Gartner Inc.'s Wireless LAN Summit here today. > According to Khan, Disney World, which includes the famed > Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center, is part of an interconnected > world that includes as many as 200 wireless access points > hidden throughout the park. The access points are used to > facilitate the flow of information and data behind the scenes. > > Khan described how the technology use has evolved, as well as > where he believes Burbank, Calif.-based The Walt Disney Co. > plans to go with wireless LANs in the future. His comments > came on the last day of the three-day Gartner event. > > The decision to provide 802.11b coverage for most of the > amusement park grew in response to visitors' complaints about > being unable to use credit cards to buy food, beverages and > Disney World merchandise, Khan said. > > "We were running a food and wine festival and a lot of people > had complained in the past that they couldn't use credit > cards [to pay for items]," Khan said. "When people go to the > park, they want to use credit cards. So we changed that." > > With a wireless LAN in place, employees can now accept credit > card purchases and complete authorizations quickly, he said, > speeding up transactions and making it easier for visitors to > buy food and merchandise. The technology also allows > employees to be mobile, meaning they can boost revenue by > bringing merchandise and food to people who may be stuck in > line waiting for rides. > > "They're not static; they're mobile," Khan said. "And > mobility has enhanced revenue generation." > > The technology is also used for "guest tracking" on Disney > cruises, especially during stops when travelers disembark for > island excursions. As each person arrives on board one of the > company's cruise ships, Khan said, he is given a card. As > passengers leave and return to the ship, they are required to > swipe the cards in a device that tracks who has come and gone. > > "That tells us who's on board," Khan said. "Let's say 200 > people have gone onto an island. If we see that 200 people > have not come back, we know how many people are missing." > > Although the company's goal is to provide a wireless > workplace for its employees throughout the park, there have > been challenges in implementing the technology, Khan said. > "Bandwidth is an issue in some areas. Integration [with wired > networks and applications] is an issue. Seamless roaming is > an issue," he said. > > But the biggest hurdle is security -- ensuring that tens of > thousands of credit card numbers are sufficiently protected > during multiple transactions to prevent theft and working > constantly to keep "sniffers" from illegally connecting. > > Khan said Disney uses 128-bit encryption and other means of > detecting possible intrusions with software. Though he > declined to be more specific about how the company protects > its network, Khan stressed that Disney is constantly looking > to beef up security, especially as the network grows and is > used for more services. > > During a question-and-answer session after he spoke, however, > Khan acknowledged that wireless LANs are still a new > technology that may not be right for all businesses. > > "This is an emerging technology," he said. "It's going to > take a while before everyone feels comfortable with it. For > small business groups, you can [implement] it. But for larger > Fortune 500 companies, I'm not sure the rate of return is > there. You have to be comfortable before you jump in." > > "If someone is asking me about applying this for office > automation, I'm not sure I would do that at this point," Khan said. > > And while he said Disney plans a gradual move to a faster > 802.11a network in the years ahead, he said the company has > no plans to deploy Bluetooth technology. Bluetooth is > wireless technology with a shorter range that is designed > primarily for the personal-area network among devices such as > telephones, handhelds, laptops, printers or fax machines. By > contrast, 802.11b networks are seen as being better-suited > for workgroups or other places where wireless connections can > be spread apart. > > Asked whether Disney might ever offer some of its bandwidth > to park visitors, Khan said no. In addition to bandwidth > concerns, he said, there are also more practical worries. > > "We need you to come to the park and enjoy the park," he > said. "If we start opening Internet cafes, you won't do > that." > http://www.computerworld.com/storyba/0,4125,NA> V47_STO65816,00.html > -- > NYCwireless - http://www.nycwireless.net/ > Un/Subscribe: > http://lists.nycwireless.net/mailman/listinfo/> nycwireless/ > > Archives: > http://lists.nycwireless.net/pipermail/nycwireless/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Twin Cities Wireless Users Group Mailing List - > Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota http://www.tcwug.org > tcwug-list at tcwug.org > https://mailman.real-> time.com/mailman/listinfo/tcwug-list >