Security Still a Concern

BY PAUL SCHRIMPF    My experience and discussions with folks at the International Conference on Precision Agriculture last week had me considering the ramifications of the next big movement in precision technology -- wireless data transfer. It was mentioned to me on several occasions that growers are getting less concerned, and more comfortable with, the idea of wireless data transfer from cab to office, or from cab to Web to office. So I posed it to you all to provide feedback on the question.

Well, while no one jumped out of their chair and sent me a comment on this post, the reader poll results indicated that 60 percent of you are concerned about data security in wireless situations, and one-third of you are very concerned.

Honestly, that number would probably have been higher five years ago when the Internet was still largely hard-wired and wireless security did not appear to be very secure. But wireless is everywhere now, for better or worse. I encountered an Ace Hardware outlet in a sparsely populated area of southwestern Pennsylvania a couple weeks ago that was complaining about its tower internet service. "We go down once a day, and we have to switch to dial up," said the clerk. "But we are not allowed to sell anything by credit card without approval from the system."

Despite the problems, wireless data is here to stay ... perhaps as we move forward, manufacturers can provide us more assurance about the security of data shooting across the airwaves ...  feel free to weigh in by commenting below.