Christine Silvas, 11i Networks Inc1

CEO
Boca Raton - FL United States

The big idea: In 25 words or less, please tell us how this Fast 50 Nominee is helping to address the planet's problems.

11i Networks is a Native American, veteran, woman-owned company established to address the rapidly expanding market demand for secure WiFi networking, biometric-based network security and wireless intrusion detection systems. Given our unique company profile, we are focused on the federal market, specifically national security, intelligence and military agencies that are investing in anti-terrorism, cyber security, and biometric-based security technologies. The Company is forging innovative solutions in the areas of secure wireless networking, wireless intrusion detection systems, cellular wireless location tracking solutions and IED detection technology, providing a compelling value proposition to the Federal Government.

Please describe how this nominee is using business as a force of positive change. What technology, idea, or strategy is the nominee using -- and what problem, such as global warming, poverty, or pollution, does it address? (suggested length: 100 words)

Enterprise network managers have been slow to deploy WiFi in their networks due to known security flaws in the 802.11 standard. The 802.11i standard, ratified in June 2004, addresses security flaws and specifies wireless LAN security technologies and mechanisms for the next 20 to 30 years. Today 802.11 wireless and cellular wireless continue to show amazing promise. Productivity gains achieved from an increasingly mobile workforce are expected to rise steadily as more and more wireless technology is deployed. As the largest employer in the United States with about 2% of the nation’s workforce, the federal government is the prime beneficiary of this trend. The wireless LAN security standard, 802.11i, allows the federal government to begin large scale wireless LAN deployments since it addresses security flaws found in the original wireless LAN standard. The federal government is rapidly converting to the new standard and taking advantage of the cost savings in installing and maintaining wireless LAN networks.

Mobility, however, comes with a price. A new paradigm of security threat has emerged as a result of 802.11 wireless and cellular wireless deployment. Rouge access points, unauthorized laptop connections, rouge cell phones, unauthorized cell phones usage are all now considered serious threats, particularly for the federal government. To address a subset of this new category of security threat, the wireless LAN industry offers robust wireless intrusion detection and prevention systems. These systems are extremely effective at controlling and mitigating 802.11 wireless threats but do not address cellular wireless intrusion detection and prevention.
There are commercially available cellular wireless intrusion detection systems on the market today, but they fall short in several key areas. Commercially available cellular wireless intrusion detection systems are unable to prevent or control cellular wireless usage. Significantly, they do not have the ability to detect idle-mode cellular devices, such as an idle-mode cell phone.
The bottom line is that information security and assurance is especially important for the federal government because public trust is in play. Data breaches have long-lasting, public and often damaging impact on citizens, agencies, and officials. The number of incidents reported to the Department of Homeland Security rose by 152% last year. 11i Networks is in the business of protecting data, intellectual property and our homeland security. As Solutions Architects, 11i Networks offers research & policy consulting, design, development, training, products and services in the area of wireless intrusion detection and protection systems for the federal government.

What are the results, both financial and social? How has the nominee's business performed, and what impact has it had on the problem it addresses? (suggested length: 100 words)

11i Networks Inc. was a napkin idea in early 2007. As a young company, 11i Networks has spent its first several months focusing on building our team, our model and raising funds. We have also been building our intellectual property and patent portfolio. We have helped deploy a wireless protection system in the West Palm Beach school system, we have submitted an unsolicited proposal to a national security agency and have responded to a request for information from the government in this space. We have recommended a broadening of the initial solution beyond only WiFi to include cellular. We have conducted a briefing on Capitol Hill and we have been asked to be technical writers for wireless and cellular solutions from the industry's certifying organization

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