PDA Security, the Next Big Hurdle for IT?

Jack writes "ITO published an article on a new secure PDA requested by the NSA. 'General Dynamics inked an $18 million contract with the secretive National Security Agency to design and develop a secure mobile personal assistant for defense workers. The PDA will integrate all types of communications including voice, data and web.'" In related news palmtops writes "Insecure Magazine has a great and in-depth article written by Seth Fogie, the VP of Airscanner.com, about Pocket PC security. His summary of PDA attacks states: 'These devices are easy to smuggle into a business and can be used to propagate an attack against network devices. Don't make the mistake of assuming is a PDA is a simple data keeper. As the cliche' goes... it is how you use it that matters.'"

Comments

PDA?

[Ceribia]

I didn't think any one on slashdot had much to worry about when it came to Public Displays of Affection ....

Can't take them seriously...

[TripMaster Monkey]

From the (IN)SECURE article:

This article will examine just some of the ways that a PDA can be owned by an attacker and what can happen as a result.

How are we supposed to take this article seriously, when the author can't even spell 'pwn3d' correctly? ^_^

Re:Links

[Ceribia]

It might be a little late mentioning this but the link in this snippet actually points to a 9.1 meg PDF file What would make you think people commenting on slashdot read the article first?

All donuts are defective

[jurt1235]

All donuts turn out to be defective is shown by extensive research. The random sample taken (500) in several countries, have shown that all donuts have a hole in the middle.

Since the problem is so widespread and since there does not seem to be a regulatory body concerning the properties of a donut, congressional inquiries can almost not be avoided.

In other news: Martha Stewart proposes American Donut Standard Association

Bored

[CaptainFork]

What a boring story.

Would someone please post a feed-line so I can post a funny reply and get some karma.

Thanks.

Re:This is necessary stuff

[TheRaven64]

Meh, just put OpenBSD on the Zaurus and set your paranoia level accordingly...

Unsecure Security

[MBHkewl]

From the article ::

• The NSA PDA phone will provide secure voice and data communications, including e-mail, web access, file viewing and access to the government secure network.

But wouldn't those still fall for the regulations of the FCC?! The wireless tracking, VoIP tapping and backdoring networks

If those PDA's are for gov. use only, that still doesn't prevent gov. agencies from spying on each other! or even prevents black-hats from accessing gov. networks then PDA's

Re:Because it's necessary...

[macbert]

Let me get this strait. You are responsible for making sure that at least some part of our government's information is secure, and you are spending your morning reading slashdot. You should be randomizing security tokens, reconfiguring kerbos settings, or scalding users for using their child's birthday as a pin number. You shouldn't be commenting on how important people get what they want, regardless if it is a good idea or not. We all already know this, spend your time being paranoid that your new girlfriend is a undercover agent for dirka-dirkastan.

Remember, when you read slashdot, the terrorists win.

Next big thing?

[ShyGuy91284]

Last I knew, PDA sales were at an all time low compared to recent years more or less due to cell phones dupicating most of their functions. It seems wrong that something that has been said to be near the end of its lifespan is considered the "next big security risk".