3G dream could become a security nightmare

[rpm]

http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0177.htm

"Emerging risks presented by 3G technology exploits need to be assessed and monitored. By Dr Hamid Jahankhani, University of East London.

Smart mobile technology is rapidly gaining in popularity – and hackers and crackers are among its biggest fans! Very few business consumers know about the vulnerabilities of 3G technology, and only now is the industry waking up to the potential security nightmare."

[vodacom3g]

When academics want to publish and journalists want to report....

This article basically states freeways are more dangerous because they have more traffic capacity or as it states:

EDGE (never knew EDGE was 3G!) is faster than GPRS therefore it must be more dangerous.

The article then goes on to name a number of security problems on mobiles, all phone OS related.

So how exactly (according to this article) is 3G a security risk?

What next? Microsoft blaming broadband for it's OS being hacked all the time?

[mbs]

Ha! ha! ha! Well put, V3G - exactly the thoughts I had when I read the article!

[kaspaas]

A Question:

If such a security problem is discovered on a phone, will Vodacom/Phone manufacturer supply the patch without cost?

What support will be available to do this?

I see a support nightmare looming once my clients are getting scared of "rumours" like this. (I do IT-support etc and cellphones prone to security problems will be added to the portfolio)

What about a cellphone security notification mailing list?

[alchamy]

PDA? no different, just because phones & PDAs are integrating does not mean there are greater security risks, granted with the huge uptake of Symbian around the world you do have the mobile version of microsoft, the more people use something the higher the risk becomes.

For example if the entire world used Linux instead of Windows you would also have thousands of viruses floating around designed for linux. And all of a sudden windows would be viewed as the more secure os.

BTW: I though the same thing as the rest of you while reading the article, what does your connectivity have to do with risks, I had just as many problems before getting broadband as I have now.

[hArTh]

For example if the entire world used Linux instead of Windows you would also have thousands of viruses floating around designed for linux. And all of a sudden windows would be viewed as the more secure os.

I hope TheRodent doesn't see this

[vodacom3g]

I'll ask the data help desk on 082 155 to start keeping a list of these viruses or at least come up with some type of mobile virus management process. Will keep you posted.

[alchamy]

I hope TheRodent doesn't see this

rofl, yeah I will definately get flamed for that one.

*hides behind his slackware box*

[venterap]

For example if the entire world used Linux instead of Windows you would also have thousands of viruses floating around designed for linux. And all of a sudden windows would be viewed as the more secure os.

I hope TheRodent doesn't see this

He doesn't have to see it. I have sen it. alchamy should have his mouth scrubbed out with soap/caustic soda!

Seriously and without trying to provoke an OS-flame-war, I think the philosophy behind multi-user OS's like Linux/Unix makes it inherently safer than Windows. NB: I said 'safer', not 'immune'!

[Tazz_Tux]

He doesn't have to see it. I have sen it. alchamy should have his mouth scrubbed out with soap/caustic soda! (Agreed )

Seriously and without trying to provoke an OS-flame-war, I think the philosophy behind multi-user OS's like Linux/Unix makes it inherently safer than Windows. NB: I said 'safer', not 'immune'!

And I have to second that comment to