Tuesday, July 6, 2004
Gartner Says iPods Pose Security Risk
Posted by Kent Pribbernow in "NEWS" @ 01:00 PM
"The iPod may be popular, but also poses such a major security risk for businesses, that enterprises should seriously consider banning the iPod and other portable storage devices, according to a study by research firm Gartner Inc. The devices, using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) or FireWire (IEEE 1394), present risks to businesses on several fronts: from introducing malicious code into a corporate network, to being used to steal corporate data, the Stamford, Connecticut-based research company said in its report "How to Tackle the Threat From Portable Storage Devices," published Friday."
As crazy as this may sound to some people, it actually makes a great deal of sense. The iPod is, after all, a portable hard drive. Lifting secure data off a client PC or workstation would be all too simple for any would be thief, without anyone knowing. This wouldn't be the first time a popular type of gadget was banned from the enterprise. Cell phones with built-in cameras are also a taboo in many work places as well.
Corporate espionage is a serious business. Companies have to cover their uh...assets.
As crazy as this may sound to some people, it actually makes a great deal of sense. The iPod is, after all, a portable hard drive. Lifting secure data off a client PC or workstation would be all too simple for any would be thief, without anyone knowing. This wouldn't be the first time a popular type of gadget was banned from the enterprise. Cell phones with built-in cameras are also a taboo in many work places as well.
Corporate espionage is a serious business. Companies have to cover their uh...assets.
