Technology Detects, Blocks Cell Phone Usage In Sensitive Areas
AirPatrol Corp. recently launched a cell phone detection and location solution to help businesses and governments protect against the unique threats posed by the use of cell phones for fraud, crime and interference with business operations.
As part of its flagship Wireless Threat Management product suite, AirPatrol’s WiVision Enterprise cell phone detection product reliably detects and locates all cell phone devices on any cellular band worldwide to effectively enforce no-wireless zones in areas where mobile phone usage puts business, data or people at risk. AirPatrol is the first company to offer a combination Wi-Fi and cellular location and detection solution so businesses can mitigate the security risks associated with the use of wireless laptops and other Wi-Fi devices -- as well as cellular and broadband radio devices.
“In the last few years, the sophistication of cell phone technology has increased dramatically -- the implications of these new, hybrid phones in the hands of millions of people has huge security and regulation implications for many industries,” said Nicholas Miller, CEO of AirPatrol. “AirPatrol’s cell phone detection product turns the tables on criminals and would-be criminals by providing a highly reliable and sophisticated solution for detecting, and more importantly, locating the devices they rely on to perpetrate their crimes.”
Cell phones with built-in cameras and data storage and transfer capabilities introduce new fraud opportunities and threaten the security of proprietary and confidential information. Mobile phones may be used to circumvent IT policies, such as call recording requirements, or as a remote eavesdropping mechanism in highly classified environments, such as government intelligence agencies, research institutions, and financial trading floors.
In fact, reports point to the illicit use of a cell phone -- used to circumvent monitored phones lines and carry out bogus trades -- as the main cause of the recent Société Générale breach which cost the bank a reported $7 billion in losses.
In addition, cell phones pose a threat to national security because they can be used to remotely detonate bombs or for other terrorist activities. Beyond security breaches, cellular phones can interfere with the proper functioning of equipment in hospitals, airplanes and other highly sensitive environments.
AirPatrol’s WiVision Enterprise Wireless Threat Management platform identifies all popular cell and Wi-Fi technologies on all bands, indoors and outdoors.
In addition, the WiVision system is the only technology capable of detecting all SMS messages, a very popular form of communication that is now being leveraged to perpetrate crimes.
“A featured technology in the Unisys Center of Excellence in Reston, Virginia, AirPatrol’s cell phone detection product is a powerful tool that helps our customers control sensitive environments and mitigate wireless risks,” said Steve Vinsik, vice president of critical infrastructure Protection for Unisys. “Unisys and AirPatrol are working together to offer financial sector businesses and government agencies an affordable and efficient solution to address the growing threat that mobile and Wi-Fi devices pose in environments where they can be used to carry out fraud, crime and terrorist activities.”