Will proposed standard make mobile phones more secure?
Nadejda Leavitt · Computer · 2005
Smart phones are becoming increasingly popular. Offering Internet connectivity, they function like minicomputers and can download a growing variety of applications and files, store personal information such as credit card numbers, and even conduct financial transactions. But as smart phones become more sophisticated, they are also becoming targets for hackers and virus writers. Because of increasing e-commerce capabilities, there is more value migrating to these devices. The Trusted Computing Group system would integrate data security into smart phones' core operations rather than implementing it via add-on applications. The TCG's Mobile Phone Work Group has published 11 use cases that, along with a set of technical requirements, will guide the specification work. The proposed standard would protect user data and transactions, as well as enable intellectual-property (IP) protection, a feature the entertainment industry wants before making popular content available for mobile devices. Nonetheless, the technology faces several potential hurdles.