High-Tech Handsets are Hacker Bait

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software that can be easily downloaded to a mobile device to monitor the activities of individuals without their knowledge. One Web site in Thailand this past June offered a spy application for mobile devices that could track the movement of individuals, secretly monitor conversations and even surreptitiously photograph their actions, all without their knowledge. The impact on a top executive in a large corporation could be devastating.

"This kind of snoopware is a real invasion of privacy because the phone is always with you. And you have no idea when it is being activated," Miller said. The only way to insure privacy is to disable the phone by removing the battery.

So far, such snoopware attacks aren't common. But as handhelds become more capable and hackers more brazen, they could well become a major concern in the future.

VENDORS TARGET MOBILE SOLUTIONS
Vendors and operators are racing to market with new security solutions that contain a mobile component in an attempt to capitalize on evolving market needs.

In November, Symantec introduced anti-virus software for Windows Mobile. Called Mobile AntiVirus 4.0 for Windows Mobile, the package aims to protect data stored on smartphones running the Microsoft OS.

The application allows users to wipe out data on devices that are lost or stolen, a feature that officials say is especially critical for enterprise accounts.

The program also includes Symantec's Live Update wireless service, which automatically updates mobile phones' threat-protection signatures to stave off emerging security threats.

It contains a centralized management feature that allows network administrators to lock and enforce security policies on mobile devices from a central point.

In early December, IBM partnered with security software vendor Narus to introduce IBM's Telecom Core Infrastructure Security Solution, which allows operators to more easily monitor networks to detect emerging attacks and other abnormalities. IBM says the solution blends security and traffic-management tasks and allows carriers to build new revenue streams through managed-security services.

Operators are also getting directly involved in the security issue. US wireless carrier Sprint recently launched its Sprint Mobile Security service, which offers protection such as data encryption and other defense tools for mobile handsets. It is being marketed as an add-on to the carrier's Mobility Management offering, which allows for outsourced management and administration of billing and applications delivery for mobile devices.

Company officials say the security component is designed to stop mobile malware, enhance data protection and ensure compliance with US federal regulations such as HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley. Sprint's solution is built around applications provided by software manufacturer Mobile Armor.

BUSINESSES START TO GET THE MESSAGE
Smartphone security is emerging as a "perfect storm" for enterprise users, according to Paul Miller from Symantec. He notes that 75% of companies haven't yet addressed smartphone security, even though an estimated 80% currently allow corporate data to be placed (and carried around on) mobile handsets.

Meanwhile, mobile virus variants have doubled every six months for the last three years. And the problem will likely worsen because smartphone growth is outpacing more basic wireless devices. Miller estimates smartphone device growth will average 77% annually while other mobile devices are growing at a 27% rate. Mobile devices out shipped PCs by a 5:1 basis in 2006, adds Miller, citing research from IDC and Gartner.

Despite this activity, there are indications that enterprise users are beginning to become more aware about the need for wireless security. Miller says typical ad hoc deployment of wireless devices is beginning to give way to centralized policies within corporations that include all endpoints: the server, PC, laptops and mobile devices.

More important, IT spending on mobile and wireless spending is likely to exceed IT budget growth in many organizations. Miller cites Gartner statistics that show mobile and wireless IT spending growing at approximately a 12.5% average annual rate.

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