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Although mobile computing has proved a boon for the productivity of mobile workers, its adoption is low in industries that handle sensitive data, largely because there is a lot of skepticism with regards to effective mobile security. For most part, mobile security solutions tend to rely on simply maintaining a user name and password system. However, in present times, when cybercrimes have become extremely sophisticated, merely authenticating users based on their passwords falls short of ensuring effective mobile security - professional hackers can easily intercept the login information and access data illegally.

Foolproof mobile security solutions are the need of the hour. To achieve this end, innovative measures are being taken in order to manufacture products that will provide effective mobile security solutions. For example, the version 7.0 of Kaspersky Internet solutions allows authentic users to remotely erase data from their mobile phones in case their handsets get lost or stolen. In fact, Kaspersky version 7.0 also helps to track the person who has stolen the mobile phone because as soon as the person inserts another SIM, the details of that number are disclosed to the rightful owner via SMS on another specified number.
  
Analysts assert that sensitive information is becoming increasingly vulnerable as mobile phones become more feature-rich with every passing day. Professionals who store sensitive business information such as emails, passwords, and account details on mobile phones are seldom cautious about encrypting such data. Moreover, they are oblivious of the security steps that should be taken in case of handset loss or theft. A lack of understanding and limited public awareness is perhaps the main reason for the growing incidents of mobile malware and virus attacks.

Although the iPhone, Apple's revolutionary smartphone, boasts of some of the most advanced mobile phone features, enterprise IT divisions show reluctance in using it as a workplace smartphone due to its weak security mechanism. The iPhone manufacturer is taking remedial steps - such as ensuring a complex password system as well as a "wipe" technology that deletes all data stored on the iPhone in case the password is hacked - to rectify this situation. In addition, value-chain partners, such as Pageonce, are also taking concrete steps to offer enhancements from a security perspective. Version 2.0 of iOnce (the personal Internet assistant for the iPhone and iPod Touch launched by Pageonce) offers a mobile destruct feature, which instantly deletes all account related information upon activation, if an iPhone is lost or stolen. Through iOnce, users can register their device by serial number, which, in turn, allows that device alone to gain access to their Pageonce account data.

Moreover, mobile hacking is undeniably becoming much more sophisticated in nature. Sometimes hacking becomes easy because of security loopholes in the software used in mobile phones. Once in, hackers can make phone calls, send SMS, multimedia messages, wireless application protocol (WAP) messages, establish Internet connections, and access data stored on the phone, on the SIM, in the phonebook, and audio and video files. In order to curtail the ever-increasing and staggering incidents of mobile hacking, various measures are being adopted. An example of this is the partnership between SMobile Systems - a company that manufactures a wide range of products and services for protecting mobile phones and the entire wireless infrastructure from security threats - and Sybase iAnywhere - a mobile device management and security solutions company - to protect a broad range of smartphones from security threats.

With the increasing demand for mobile data services in leading wireless markets, mobile security is becoming a genuine he usage of mobile applications, such as gaming, banking and payments, gambling, browsing, etc., is heightening security concerns associated with multimedia mobile phones. Further, Web access through mobile phones, especially through open networks such as Wi-Fi, increases the vulnerability of data stored on them.

It has been seen that the biggest threat to data is when mobile phones get stolen or are lost, giving miscreants an open opportunity to abuse mobile data. Alongside, cybercriminals are devising sophisticated techniques for hacking mobile phones with the aim of gaining access to personal/sensitive information stored on handsets.

The security threats faced by PCs are gradually migrating to mobile phones too. However, unlike the PC, where users undertake security measures by installing anti-malware products, mobile phones are vulnerable in the hands of cybercriminals, largely due to a lack of awareness on the user's part.

Our partners at Analysts Perspectives present an overview of analyst observations about mobile security and their opinions and predictions about its growing importance.

Some key findings include a survey result reflected that almost six out of every 10 mobile consumers (59.4 percent) expect mobile operators to take primary responsibility for protecting their mobile devices and services; mobile security products will be installed on 247 million mobile phones by 2011; and the market for mobile anti-malware products was worth USD 61.4 million in 2007 and is predicted to reach USD 2.171 billon in 2014, representing a CAGR of 66.4 percent.