New gadgets take on 'Starbucks' security threat

'our worst fears'
'all had seen it commin'

The growth in popularity of both wireless technology and mobile computing has created a potent new threat for network administrators: unauthorized intrusions onto their networks by hackers and viruses that take advantage of loosely secured laptop PCs and public computer kiosks.

Malicious hackers and worms can slip past heavily fortified network perimeters by compromising computers in home offices, tunneling through virtual private network (VPN) sessions from compromised computers, or taking advantage of wide-open public wireless hotspots like those offered by coffee house giant Starbucks Corp.