Getting a grip on handheld security
The appearance of the first malicious code targeting the Palm Inc. computing platform last week awoke many people to the fact that handheld computers need security just like any other computer.
The appearance of the first malicious code targeting the Palm Inc. computing
platform last week awoke many people to the fact that handheld computers
need security just like any other computer.
Fortunately, Network Associates Inc. and Certicom Corp. last week announced
new additions to their efforts to secure wireless handheld devices.
Network Associates announced the first product in a new suite under
its McAfee business line aimed at protecting wireless users from viruses
and similar malicious code. Certicom, meanwhile, announced a new partnership
with Cisco Systems Inc. to ensure that the Certicom virtual private network
client for handheld devices will work with Cisco's VPN platforms.
McAfee VirusScan Wireless gives administrators the ability to scan for
e-mail-borne viruses on handheld devices that run on the Palm OS, Microsoft
Corp. Pocket PC, Microsoft Windows CE and Symbian Ltd. EPOC platforms.
System administrators can install VirusScan Wireless on employees' handheld
devices via e-mail. New virus definition files are updated automatically
when the user connects to the Internet. VirusScan Wireless will also scan
any files transferred to or from a user's desktop during synchronization.
Certicom's VPN client for handhelds also takes advantage of the company's
elliptic curve cryptography technology to ensure secure access to internal
networks for employees using wireless devices.
Certicom released the VPN client in June, but by joining the Cisco Security
Associate Program, the two companies will work to make sure the Certicom
client will work with all of the Cisco VPN-optimized routers.
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