Ads by TechWords

See your link here
Receive the latest technology news and information.
Mobile/Wireless Computing
Computerworld Daily News (First Look and Wrap-Up)
Computerworld Blogs Newsletter
The Weekly Top 10
Cloud Computing
View all newsletters




Privacy Policy
 

Smart phones 'bigger security risk' than laptops

June 2, 2008 12:00 PM ET

Active Comments
William Rock - NetStandard says: I would like to first start by saying this article caught my attention in Slashdot this morning and I have...
tuomoks says: And we were worried when Cxx's forgot to lock their briefcase and keys in golf courses or forgot them in...


Computerworld UK - Smart phones are seen as a more of a security risk than laptops and mobile storage devices, according to new research.

Some 94% of senior IT staff fear PDAs present a security risk, just above the 88% who highlighted mobile storage devices as a worry.

Nearly eight in 10 said laptops were an issue. Only four in 10 had encrypted data on their laptops, and the remainder said the information was "not worth" protecting.

The results come from a survey of 300 senior IT staff conducted by endpoint data protection supplier Credant Technologies.

A key danger with PDAs was that over half of IT executives surveyed were "not bothering" to enter a password when they used their phone.

Nine in 10 of the smart phones were being given access to company networks without extra security, even though the phones were individually owned by users. There were no access restrictions being applied to 81% of the phones.

Credant Technologies said smart phones had become "easy pickings" for any opportunists trying to steal them and access information.

Peter Mitteregger, European VP at the company, said: "Companies need to regain control of these devices and the data that they are carrying, or risk finding their investment in securing the enterprise misplaced and woefully inadequate."


This article is reprinted by permission from ComputerworldUK.com, Copyright (c) 2007 Computerworld UK All rights reserved.

Jump to comments

Smart phone

Additional Resources

EFD vs. HDD - What You Need to Know
WHITE PAPER
Enterprise flash drives provide a new Tier 0 storage layer capable of delivering high I/O performance at a very low latency. Proper use of EFDs in an Oracle environment can deliver increased performance compared to fibre channel drives. Read the recommendations for identification of the best DB components for EFDs.
Gartner Research Report: Magic Quadrant for Application Delivery Controllers, 2009
WHITE PAPER
The market for products to improve the delivery of application software over networks remains dynamic and innovative. Vendors focused on solving enterprises' most-pressing application problems have become the top players.
Eight Criteria for Server Load Balancing
WHITE PAPER
Server load balancers are a simple yet highly effective means to scale an application environment while ensuring its availability. Today's solutions should also address application performance and security. Read about the top eight criteria you should consider when choosing a server load balancer and how Citrix NetScaler meets those requirements.

What People Are Saying

White Papers & Webcasts

Accelerating Your Mobile Workers: Controlling the Uncontrollable
Today's workforce is truly mobile. Unlike the managed environment of the office LAN, remote users face many challenges to being productive while out...

eGuide: Enterprise Security
Smart Security Strategies for 2010. Read now!  

Managing Laptops Outside the Office
Learn how you can reduce costs by tracking mobile computers no matter where they are located.

Mobile U Webinar
Watch Now!

The New Mobile Order
Download Now  

4G Ahead Video Program
Uncover the features and benefits of the two leading 4G technologies for enterprises considering future deployment.

WAN Application Delivery for Executives
Learn how to simplify server and application administration without creating performance problems for distributed users.  

Horror stories: Managing IT Across Multiple Locations
How one extra sharp IT manager eliminates daily agony, hassle and repetition.


IT Jobs