Smartphones have a lot of potential, but it can be abused if in the wrong hands. With their mobility and capability, no wonder hackers are targeting them. More details below.

As mobile devices provide more and easier ways to share information, they’re also providing more opportunities for mischief and theft

Smartphones and similar devices increasingly are being used by business professionals to store information, tap into customer accounts, and exchange data with the office. Yet there’s a dark side to this productivity boon: threats to device and data security.The expanded use of mobile devices has caught the interest of criminals and malicious hackers, and several proof-of-concept mobile viruses have emerged in recent months. The growth of Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 in the device market also creates new security concerns.

Windows Mobile 5.0, released to manufacturers in May, offers more and easier ways to exchange information with back-end servers than previous versions, and it’s the first Windows operating system to appear on popular Palm devices. As anyone familiar with security knows, the more widely used the technology, the more attention it’s likely to get from the hacker community–and Microsoft has been a favorite target. Devices featuring Windows Mobile 5.0 include Motorola’s Moto Q, Hewlett-Packard’s iPaq hw6920, Intermec’s CN3 ruggedized handheld, and T-Mobile’s Dash.[more]

Tags: Hackers