Security software vendor McAfee has acquired Wireless Security Corp, obtaining encryption, authentication and intrusion protection technology to lock down Wi-Fi based networks.

McAfee will use Wireless Security's technologies in combination with its own Antivirus, Firewall and Internet Security products to secure the perimeter around home and small business customers.

According to IDC, wireless adoption will brow at a 36 percent compounded annual rate over the next four years.

McAfee's internal survey of 60,000 opt-in wireless networks found that 47.9 percent were not locked down and that many users had a false assumption that they were protected.

"The world we live in has become increasingly wireless, yet most users do not have the proper security enabled and additional protection installed to secure their wireless networks. This acquisition builds on our existing security technology and enables us to further protect the growing wireless environment," said George Samenuk, McAfee chairman and CEO.

Wireless Security's technology supports most popular brand-name routers and network cards, and is compliant with the WEP and WPA-PSK standards. McAfee intends to launch consumer products in the fall with integration into small business Managed VirusScan forthcoming.

"This is a good move for McAfee," Andrew Jaquith, senior analyst with Yankee Group, told BetaNews. "It gives them an entree into the the access management market, which is a bit different from their traditional focus on vulnerability and threat management. The acquisition gives them some credibility in wireless - a fast-moving networking technology, but one that many enterprises have been slow to adopt due to security fears."

"It will be interesting to see how the networking infrastructure vendors like Cisco react to this, since it encroaches on their turf a bit."