The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/27607
This means data is not protected on Android devices when they are lost or stolen. There is hope for Android phones, though. Motorola plans to release several that support device encryption sometime in 2011. THE SCIENCE BEHIND PROFICIENCY WINDOWS 7 PHONE Windows 7 Phone is new in the mobile device market, and Microsoft is targeting it for enterprise use. So, one would think the enterprise features, like data encryption, would be high on the list of priorities. They’re not. While the platform does offer many security features, device encryption is not one of them. This is an interesting development as Microsoft is fully aware of the need for device encryption on mobile devices. For example, it is possible to configure Microsoft’s Exchange ActiveSync policy to only allow devices that have device encryption. While there has been nothing to indicate data encryption in the feature roadmap, I anticipate seeing it in a future release. CAN I ADD ENCRYPTION LATER? In most cases, you can add an application to your mobile device that has encryption features built in. Android and iOS both have a strong showing of password and data encryption apps. I expect to see the same for Windows 7 Phone once application development for that platform gets on its feet. A popular security platform to use on mobile devices is Good Technology’s Enterprise product for mobile devices. It offers many security features, including encryption of all data stored within the application. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? I won’t pretend to be a fortune teller, but there is definitely a pattern here. As a new device penetrates the consumer market, the enterprise market will surely follow. Just as the iPhone developed from a consumer device with minimal security features into a fully featured device with hardware device encryption, so will others. Motorola has already announced plans for an Android device that addresses the encryption shortcomings of previous releases. Microsoft is also tackling the enterprise, so they will soon be dealing with the issue of encryption. With a little patience, and some push from the enterprise market, we should eventually be able to use any of the major platforms without concern. Until then, stick to the smartphones you can be certain are smart about enterprise security. ILTA David Beck is the Lead Security Analyst at SNR Denton where he supervises the team responsible for security operations and risk management in the U.S., Brussels and Zurich. Prior to SNR Denton, David spent four years at VeriSign Managed Security Services. He can be reached at david.beck@snrdenton.com. Name Address We’ve got the perfect cure Prescriptive Training from Profiscience Partners Date Skill Assessment Personalized Learning Plans Are your secretaries tearing their hair out? Learning Management Dispense as written www. p r o f i s c ie nce . c om 70 www.iltanet.org Peer to Peer