Secure data transmission plan developed

An Abu Dhabi police officer has developed a project to help improve police technology and keep data secure.

The study by Captain Mohammad Ahmad Nasser focuses on wireless network deployment, with an emphasis on security issues. He carried out the project as part of his Masters of Science degree at the UK's University of Hertfordshire.

"Transmission of data from one location to another needs much attention and care due to the confidential nature of the task involved.

"The police always look for the most modern technology that improves their productivity and services. Wireless technology is one potential technology inclined to be not secure compared with wired transmission," Capt Nasser said.

Most people ignored the security aspects of systems, he said. Capt Nasser carried out extensive research and evaluated popular existing systems in the market. He discovered drawbacks with many existing systems.

Any breach in a database's confidentiality will affect the public as well as the government in a critical way, he said. He researched how data could be secured effectively in an insecure environment.

Different protocols and methods available for the security of data management systems were evaluated and tested.

"It was found that common security packages with wireless hardware could not give 100 per cent security and a combination of multiple vendor security packages were found more effective in securing data transmission," he said.

Deploying a network intrusion and detection system was one of the most important issues to be considered in a wireless environment, he said. Protecting the database as well as assuring confidentiality in data transmission without intrusion was the primary objective of his project

The study evaluated existing technology in network protection, available hardware and security system software and the protocols of network administration.

The findings of the study state a clear security policy should be implemented before and after the installation of any wireless network.