Compliance-Oriented Wi-Fi Security Innovations for Sustainable Smart Institutions: A Governance-Based Risk Assessment and Regulatory Alignment Framework

The rapid expansion of Wi-Fi-enabled digital infrastructures has transformed educational institutions, healthcare systems, public services and business environments into smart, connected ecosystems. While wireless connectivity enhances operational efficiency and accessibility, it simultaneously introduces critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities that threaten sensitive personal, institutional and governmental data. In many developing and transitional digital environments, Wi-Fi deployments often lack structured governance mechanisms, standardized security audits and regulatory compliance verification, resulting in systemic security gaps. This study proposes a Governance-Based Risk Assessment and Regulatory Alignment Framework designed to strengthen Wi-Fi network security through compliance-oriented and sustainability-driven innovations. The framework integrates technical security auditing with legal, policy and institutional governance dimensions, enabling organizations to systematically identify, prioritize and mitigate wireless network threats. Common vulnerabilities—including weak authentication, improper encryption practices, unauthorized access points and misconfigured network policies—are evaluated and mapped against international cybersecurity standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and relevant national cybersecurity advisories to determine compliance gaps. A risk-centric assessment model is employed to prioritize threats based on their potential human, institutional and legal impacts rather than purely technical severity. The proposed framework further supports transparent audit reporting, accountability mechanisms and continuous compliance monitoring, thereby promoting trust, resilience and sustainable digital governance. By aligning technological safeguards with regulatory and ethical governance principles, this research offers a practical roadmap for building secure, compliant and socially resilient smart institutions in increasingly wireless-dependent societies.