iPod security fears are nothing new

Legitimate concerns involving iPod security risks have been raised at a national conference in Washington. But the question we feel compelled to ask is: Why now?

Some alarmist statements voiced at the conference sound remarkably similar to those made five years ago when the first Palm virus was discovered. And years before that, the same was true with the rising use of laptops in the workplace.

Although some doomsday scenarios are possible, the corporate world was not brought to its pin-striped knees back then. So it's curious that many of this week's Cassandra-like warnings are so dire, given that the only change seems to be the type of portable device involved.

Blog community response:

"I suddenly envisioned security directors across corporate America seriously considering how they can strip employees of their electronic gadgets and gizmos. My greater hope however, is that corporate America's first reaction will be to educate their employees vs. limiting their freedoms."
--Oliver Siodmak's Rants and Raves

"I've worked for some companies that have had a sensibly paranoid and balanced approach to PDAs, while others have had a laissez-faire approach, which has gotten them into trouble, with users installing and copying whatever they liked onto them and corporate data going walkies."
--Pocket PC Thoughts

"33% of mobile computers and smartphones is not protected with a password or security lock, even though they contain PIN codes and sensitive information, PointSec said. In 2005, 22% of interviewees said they had lost their device against 16% in 2004. Of those who lost their smartphone or handheld computer, 81% had not encrypted the information on it."
--a Splice and Sliver of Jon