Our very own Winn Schwartau writes in the most recent issue of Insecure Magazine.
Smart phones are the new computers. They are highly portable, increasingly powerful with a user base growing at double-digit rates. An estimated 2 billion of them will be deployed globally by 2013. Smart phones are comput-ers that happen to have a telephone in them; they are used for traditional data-oriented computer tasks like email, surfing, data storage and business applications.
Unleashing vast amounts of sophisticated technology to hundreds of millions of people who have already proven that they are either incapable of or unwilling to take the appropri-ate security steps or adapt proper behavior to protect their identity, is a distinct threat to the enterprise and global security.
While to the user smart phones and notably the iPhone family are intuitively easy to use, the risks to the devices, their users or the companies that use them for business are, as with past technology innovations, after-thoughts. Security has – as always – fallen into the abyss of invisibility due to apathy, arrogance or ignorance.We know that smart phone applications are the greatest tool ever devised to deliver hos-tile software to a computing device, and as of 23 June 2010, a study suggests that 20% of Android applications could be spyware.
Check out pages 39 – 42 for the whole story. Get your copy here:
http://www.net-security.org/dl/insecure/INSECURE-Mag-27.pdf
Winn Schwartau to Lead InfoSecurity UK Summit
The key to a safe cyber world is a well secured cyber system, thus the infosecurity UK summit is specially designed to train and educate participants on emerging threats in financial and data breaches while exposing them to new approaches needed to avoid being the next victim. . . .
Top on the bill of guest lecturers is Mr. Winn Schwartau. A cyber veteran, Winn has devoted most of his adult life to creating cyber security awareness. Also, all his predictions on the future of the cyber world have hit the bull’s eye.
A Desktop iPad?!
This reminds me of the old laptop powered by 4 car batteries strapped to the back of the guy riding a bicycle where the pedals connected to an alternator that recharged the batteries. Do we need this? Let’s discuss.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/08/24/apple.imac.touch/index.html?hpt=T2
We at M.A.D., as many others, have paid keen attention to the Intel acquisition of McAfee as the security space is moving and shaking, especially in the mobile security arena. Here is another take on it, from a Network World writer, with a MAD spin.
McAfee recently acquired its way into mobile security so internal efforts are a work-in-progress. Rather than spend $7.7 billion on McAfee, Intel could have grabbed a vendor like Good Technology or Mobile Active Defense for a fraction of what it paid for McAfee. By comparison, Juniper just picked up SMobile for $70 million.
Read more here: http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/65346
Recent articles about M.A.D. – In the News
Got iPhone?
You’ve seen it over and over again in organizations. C-level wants an iPhone, an iPad, Droid, whatever – so now what? Our industry did a great job understanding the risk inherent in use of smartphones when BlackBerry showed up, but somehow cool and shiny new devices have clouded our judgment as to what that risk continues to be. What can you do about personal vs. company devices? What are some best policy’s and practice in this area?
- Patricia Titus, Chief Information Security Officer, Federal Systems, Unisys
- Dr. Mustaque Ahamad, Professor, College of Computing and Director of the Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC)
- Robert Smith, Founder & CTO, M.A.D. Partners
Rob Smith will be participating in the Breakout 7 from 2:30 – 3:20. For more info, click here.
For more information on the SC World Congress, please visit: http://www.scmagazineus.com/sc-world-congress-new-york/section/1560/
You haven’t forgotten about today’s interactive webinar have you?
At 4:30 (eastern), you can join our very own Winn Schwartau, Information Week & Dark Reading at this virtual security event as they discuss How Hackers Learned To Love The iPhone And Other Portable Device Horror Stories. For more information, check out the agenda for the all day event.
Register for free and tune in at 4:30!
Like most technology people, hackers love new gadgets. From the iPhone to the Droid to the iPad, the best hackers have consistently raced to become the first to find the security flaws in the latest and most popular portable devices. But what are the greatest dangers to users of wireless and portable storage technology? What are the most obvious vulnerabilities to smart phones and notebook computers? In this real-world panel, top security experts will sort the hype from the reality, showing you which threats are most likely to affect your road warriors and home users – and what you can do about them.
Join us, August 11th at 4:30 PM when Winn Schwartau – author, speaker and leading expert in information security & electronic privacy along with David Moskowitz, telecommunications expert and Brian Gillooly, Editor in Chief of Events, InformationWeek discuss this topic in the virtual event hosted by TechWeb!
The event “Hacking 2010, Understanding the New Wave of Cyberattacks” is free and features many different speakers and panels. To register and see a complete agenda list click on:
https://www.techwebonlineevents.com/ars/eventregistration.do?mode=eventreg&F=1002405&K=MAA3&tab=agenda
With the new JailbreakMe making the process of jailbreaking iPhones much easier enterprises are in for a rough ride! However, IT admins can breathe easier and use a tool/solution offered by M.A.D. to monitor and enforce their security policy on iPhones and iPads.
Read the entire feature article as seen on PC World here:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/202436/jailbreakme_exploits_serious_iphone_security_flaw.html?tk=hp_blg
Now that jailbreaking the iPhone and iPad is legal, corporate enterprises have even more to worry about.
Until 26 July 2010, corporate IT and security managers only had to worry about keeping rogue iPhones and their associated security and compliance holes in check. With the latest government ruling, however, jailbroken iPhones and iPads present even greater threats to the privacy and security of corporate networks.
