For Immediate Release

Bluefire Security: “Lack of Built-in Security Shouldn't Inhibit Enterprise PDA”

Company says DefCon Presentation Advocated "Wrong Approach" to Mobile Device Security

What

According to an Aug. 3 Reuters story, Bryan Glancey, a manager at wireless security services provider MobileArmor, warned his audience not to put any secure information on PocketPCs or Palm Pilot devices because those devices lacked built-in security.

According to Bluefire Security Technologies Vice President Tom Goodman, this is the wrong approach and will only further the security concerns that inhibit enterprise adoption and effective use of mobile devices. Regardless of built-in security levels, users should not be forced to avoid transmitting or storing secure information on their handhelds when solutions exist to ensure the safety of both data and device.

Why

According to Goodman, PDAs are subject to the same basic vulnerabilities as any other computing platform and therefore require enhanced security. No security administrator would allow users to conduct business on an unprotected network - the mobile platform is simply the next evolution.

Mobile computing can be done securely with the right amount of risk management and application of security technologies. Securing information on a PDA, like any computing platform, needs to be handled with forethought. There are a number of good tools available that provide layers of security to protect sensitive data.

Use of strong passwords, personal firewalls, encryption of the data stored on the device and enforced passwords are all good ways to implement solid security protection for mobile computing without avoiding the transmission and storage of sensitive data on handheld devices.

Who

Tom Goodman is Vice President of Operations with Bluefire Security Technologies. Prior to joining Bluefire, Goodman was the director of security and risk management for Aether Systems, where he was responsible for both internal and client security issues and was the co-leader of Aether's Homeland Security initiatives. A 20-year security veteran, Goodman has held several other senior management positions throughout his career, covering mobile computing, intelligence and physical and information security.