Sprint to Unveil Mobile Security Features

[TNDan21]

Sprint to Unveil Mobile Security Features
Tue Mar 1, 2005 08:25 PM ET

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sprint wireless phone users who lose their mobile devices will be able to have the handsets shut down so that no one can access their phone numbers and other data inside, the company's president said on Tuesday.

As part of new security features that Sprint, the No. 3 U.S. wireless carrier, will make available this year, the company will also provide anti-virus software updates "over the air" to users as new viruses targeting handheld devices are released, President and Chief Operating Officer Len Lauer told the Reuters Technology Summit.

Wireless device makers are adding security features to phones in the face of a small but growing threat of mobile phone viruses.

The Sprint security features, to be showcased at an industry conference next week, will be available initially only for business customers.

"We're real excited about this offering. There have been a lot of concerns from customers" about the rise of mobile virus threats, Lauer said, adding that the security features stem from a pilot program Sprint has been running with 12 corporate customers.

Business customers will also be able to protect their mobile devices with passwords that block access to their devices, which increasingly contain loads of personal information, and to change those passwords as needed, Lauer said.

Cabir, the world's first mobile phone virus "in the wild," spread to the United States in February after surfacing nine months ago in the Philippines. Cabir has many variants and generally drains cell phone batteries.

The mobile-virus threat is small at the moment but will grow in the future as virus writers become more sophisticated and phones standardize on technologies that make it easier for viruses to spread across not just specific devices but the whole industry.

Sprint to Unveil Mobile Security Features

[danny boi]

Sprint is also planning to make customers aware of the importance of voicemail privacy advising customers of the benefits of using a password (passcode) in light of recent customer concerns.

[proud2bamerican8]

Originally Posted by TNDan21

Sprint to Unveil Mobile Security Features
Tue Mar 1, 2005 08:25 PM ET

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sprint wireless phone users who lose their mobile devices will be able to have the handsets shut down so that no one can access their phone numbers and other data inside, the company's president said on Tuesday.

As part of new security features that Sprint, the No. 3 U.S. wireless carrier, will make available this year, the company will also provide anti-virus software updates "over the air" to users as new viruses targeting handheld devices are released, President and Chief Operating Officer Len Lauer told the Reuters Technology Summit.

Wireless device makers are adding security features to phones in the face of a small but growing threat of mobile phone viruses.

The Sprint security features, to be showcased at an industry conference next week, will be available initially only for business customers.

"We're real excited about this offering. There have been a lot of concerns from customers" about the rise of mobile virus threats, Lauer said, adding that the security features stem from a pilot program Sprint has been running with 12 corporate customers.

Business customers will also be able to protect their mobile devices with passwords that block access to their devices, which increasingly contain loads of personal information, and to change those passwords as needed, Lauer said.

Cabir, the world's first mobile phone virus "in the wild," spread to the United States in February after surfacing nine months ago in the Philippines. Cabir has many variants and generally drains cell phone batteries.

The mobile-virus threat is small at the moment but will grow in the future as virus writers become more sophisticated and phones standardize on technologies that make it easier for viruses to spread across not just specific devices but the whole industry.

Sprint to Unveil Mobile Security Features

Some Sprint phones (my 8100 for example) can be disabled and the phone book erased thru SMS if they are lost or stolen, so that personal info can't be accessed and no calls can be placed.

[proud2bamerican8]

Originally Posted by YourDaddy

Sprint is also planning to make customers aware of the importance of voicemail privacy advising customers of the benefits of using a password (passcode) in light of recent customer concerns.

Yes, it is absolutely CRITICAL that every cell user (not just Sprint) require a password before VM access is given. On some phones, once someone "spoofs" your phone and accesses your VM, they not only can listen to messages they can make outgoing calls on your dime!

The convenience of quick VM access is still attainable by programming the speed dial to add the password when you dial into VM to retrieve messages from your cell phone.