Livermore Lab acknowledged that wireless computer network communications can improve productivity by enabling access to information without the constraints of wired connectivity. However, computer manufacturers increasingly are bundling LAN technology with their equipment, and that can become a problem when the hardware is moved within the lab.

Livermore said tests have proven that wireless network technologies and their built-in security features are not secure, and that control of such technologies is needed until security vulnerabilities can be addressed.

Ubiquitous Wireless Connectivity

"For many years, we have had a ban on all wireless transmission devices in classified areas. That includes cell phones and other handheld devices," Livermore Lab spokesperson David Schwoeglen told Wireless NewsFactor.

Products equipped for wireless communication and mobile Internet access have made their way into sensitive computer networks that could be vulnerable to attacks by hackers and other unauthorized individuals, Livermore said.

"There is temporary ban on (wireless) LANs in all areas of the lab while we do a technical evaluation and develop a new policy for their use," Schwoeglen said.

Finding Flaws

Livermore, a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that focuses on information-sensitive projects -- such as nuclear weapons design and national security research -- currently has only two LANs in operation, Schwoeglen said.

"But it's easy to take a Palm PDA or laptop PC with wireless networking capability from a non-classified area into a classified area inadvertently," he said. "That creates a serious security violation."

The policy states that any program or directorate with an existing wireless LAN in a "property protection" area must disconnect the LAN from all institutional networks and obtain an approved exception to the policy before resuming its operation.

The new policy enables the lab to monitor on-site use of wireless technologies while evaluating their limitations and benefits.

Securing the Perimeter

"Many people who deal with technology don't understand how vulnerable their data is," Schwoegler said. "We do not want a pathway that connects our classified computer networks to the outside."

Even TV crews working on news stories at the lab are required to obtain a special permit to broadcast from the facility, he said.

The new regulations do not affect the use of cell phones and PCS (personal communications system) devices, pagers, two-way mobile and portable radios, or point-to-point voice, video and data communications systems.