Smartphones are poised to become the next major security challenge for businesses. For now, a good rule of thumb for on-the-go workers is: "If you don’t need to do it, don’t do it," said Aaron Cohen, chief executive of the Hacker Academy, a Chicago-based firm that provides security training for companies and government agencies.
Cohen warned against idly checking e-mail or opening sensitive documents on a hand-held device unless it’s absolutely necessary. Security experts say that in general, business-oriented smartphones come with decent built-in safeguards, such as encryption and firewalls. But consumer-oriented mobile phones, which have far fewer safety features, are increasingly taking on such PC-like characteristics as Wi-Fi connectivity, making them attractive to people who want to use them for work.
Will smartphones be hackers’ next target?