The Year of Mobile

It would seem that a good portion of the coverage this month has revolved around the release of the new Google Nexus One phone and the rumored Apple Tablet that may be released at the end of the month. It would seem that there would be a stronger focus on mobile platforms and mobile computing. First of all, I would like to give credit to my sources; Buzz Out Loud described that they felt that 2010 would be the year of mobile security. Their rationale was that not only would the iPhone be hacked, but the Android mobile operating would experience its first significant security vulnerability exploit (“a coming-of-age story for Android” says Jason Howell). This type of attack would happen as there are more and more versions of Android handsets. The argument presented during the show was they these possible security attacks would force smartphone owners to heavily consider if they will need to have some form of virus protection on their phones. The questions will need to be asked are:

• Where will the line in the sand needs to be drawn in terms of protect the devices?
• Will there need to be security for other web-connected appliances?
• Will there need to be concern over the ability of viruses to hypothetically jump from mobile phones to other computers?

The more significant concept is not mobile security but how different systems can communicate with each other. Since a majority of computers use a form of a Unix/Linux operating system to run their basic operations, it would seem that it within the realm of possibility that most of the base code has a common lineage and could bridge between the systems. So, is it possible for the phones and other mobile devices to act as “Typhoid Marys“ and infect local networks? This infection will be an issue that a security professional will have to be concerned with in the future.

The second issue that seems to be connected to this ”Year of the Mobile“ theme is how this disconnects individuals from a centralized office/place of work. Telecommuting, management by walking around, working from the field, all of these concepts focus out the same point; the ability of workers to leave the office. This mode of working has been a popular method in the past, and I believe it will be in more so with the increase of mobile communication technology.