Security challenges posed by mobile
devices:
Mobility brings two main challenges to cyber security:
1. On the hand- held devices, information is being taken
outside the physically controlled environment.
2. Remote access back to the protected environment is
being granted.
Perceptions of the organization to these cyber security
challenges are important in devising appropriate
security operating procedure.
As the number of mobile device users increases, two
challenges are presented:
1. One at the device level: microchallenges
2. Another at the organization level: macrochallenges
Well known challenges in mobile security:
Managing the registry setting and configuration
Authentication Service Security
Cryptography Security
Lightweight Directory Access protocol(LADP)
Security
Remote Access Server(RAS) security
Media Player Control Security
Network Application Program Interface (API) security
[Link] settings for mobile devices:
example
Microsoft Active Sync : synchronize windows- powered
PCs and MS Outlook
Active sync act as the gateway between Windows-
Powered PC and Windows mobile-Powered device,
Enables transfer of Outlook information, MS Office
documents, pictures, music, videos and applications
In addition to synchronizing with PC, Active sync can
synchronize directly with MS Exchange Sever so that
the user can keep their E-Mails, calendar, notes and
contacts updated wirelessly.
In this context, registry setting becomes an important issue given the
ease with which various applications allow a free flow of information.
The registry or Windows registry is a database of information, settings,
options, and other values for software and hardware installed on all
versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems.
Thus, establishing trusted groups through appropriate registry
settings becomes crucial.
One of the most prevalent areas where this attention to security is
applicable is within “group policy”.
Group policy is one of the core operations that are performed by Windows
Active Directory
There are one more dimension on mobile device security:
New mobile applications are constantly being
provided to help protect against spyware, viruses,
worms, malware and other malicious codes that run
through n/w and the Internet.
Microsoft and other companies are trying to develop
solutions as fast as they can.
According to the experts, the core problem to many of the
mobile security issues on a Windows platform is that the
baseline security is not configured properly.
When you get a computer installed or use a mobile
device for the first time, it may not be 100% safe.
Even if users go through every Control Panel setting
and group policy option, they may not get the
computer to the desired baseline security.
Managing the registry setting and
configuration:
Even if the user go through every control panel
setting and group policy option- no desired
baseline security
So make additional registry changes that are not
exposed to any interface: avoid “registry hacks”
Example
