The TOPECS Blog

Top Business Mobiles - April 2008

Tim — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:55:00 +0100

Produced for itproportal, this magazine shows the latest and, in my opinion, the best business handsets and laptops available for April 2008.

Business Mobiles - April 2008

Evolution to 4G

Tim — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:36:00 +0000

Although mobile data has been available to businesses and some consumers from the 80’s, it wasn’t until the advent of WAP that mobile data went main stream. There were of course data cards for laptops and PDA’s but they were slow, expensive and clumsy to use.

Many people remember the launch of the first UK mass market WAP service at the turn of the millennium, BT Cellnet’s Silver Surfer. Unfortunately the mobile industry over promised the concept of the mobile web. Even though home internet users were relying on low speed dial up the best mobile speeds offered by Orange could only reach a maximum of 14.4 kbps (28.8kbps if you were very lucky) and what could be displayed on a typical, buggy, handset amounted to a glorified, and monochrome, Ceefax. This was also at a very high per minute price and using the service effectively blocked any incoming calls. The other major turn off was the excruciatingly painful process of waiting minutes to get to the first ‘page’ and then many, many seconds for the next. Once there the services provided were simplistic and invariably pointless.

In 2000 packet data GPRS (2.5G) provided a welcome boost of speed, around 43kbps, a reduction in latency (in simplistic terms the time it takes to send a request and get the answer back) and allow incoming calls. Unfortunately GPRS used the spare bandwidth not being used for voice, so if a lot of people were talking near a base station the data speeds could actually be less than the old service. Also content still depended on what the operators thought users should have (known as a walled garden) which a lot of the time wasn’t what users wanted. Costs were still very high being priced on a per kilobyte basis with some people incurring massive hundred of pound bills. The horror stories frightened off many potential users who instead relied on SMS services for most of their mobile data needs. At least that was something they could understand the benefit of, and control the cost. Other new data services failed such as MMS (Multimedia Messaging) because they were confusing and expensive.

Importantly there were however two services which really prospered, BlackBerry in the West and iMode in Japan. This kept the idea of mobile data from disappearing entirely.

Even the launch of 3G in 2003 did not really help. WCDMA (3G to most people) provided much faster data transmission providing services such as video clip streaming and downloading, and simultaneous voice calls and data surfing, (so you can check your bank balance whilst talking to a friend). However the handsets were clumsy, had little battery life, content was of variable quality and most users could not see the point of video calls. Since then 3 has predominately sold their network on cheap voice calls with some success, tempered with a high turnover in users (churn) for a variety of business reasons.

Since 2005, users have become more aware of what the mobile internet can really do for them with the release of quality handsets from European manufacturers such as the Nokia’s 6630, 6680, N80, N95 and Sony Ericsson’s P990, K800 etc. For business users the network branded HTC handsets have expanded the office computer systems to employees on the road. Nurses, sales people, engineers are all benefiting from advances in web based technology that they can securely access through their mobile phones.

Major usage problems remained. The screens tend to be too small, the user interface too clumsy and usage costs far, far too high.

2007 has seen a fundamental change. With the advent of the iPhone, the concept of using the internet on the move has been given a phenomenal boost. Although the iPhone relies on old 2¾G technology (EDGE), the usability of web services has been exponentially advanced. Also with flat rate data being offered by all the mobile networks users can surf the internet confident that they can afford the monthly cost.

2006/7 also saw the launch of Web2 services for mobiles such as Skype, eBay, and Facebook.

The other major advance in 2007 saw the start of the evolution to 4G. Unlike the jumps from 1G to 2G to 3G, this is being undertaken in small but significant stages.

The launch of HSPA (High Speed Packet Access 3.5G) is shifting users expectations. They can now expect data speeds approaching, and some times exceeding, their home based ADSL broadband connections. Vodafone and some other networks currently supports 7.2Mbps download and 1.4Mbps upload speeds in some areas. This will be broadened out to cover more of the UK over the next few years. Unlike previous network evolutions, the handsets and applications are in place to take advantage of these speeds, so in the instance of Nokia’s latest handsets, they come with native YouTube capabilities allowing the same users desktop experience on their handset.

So far this has been good for the networks as some have seen phenomenal growth in HSPA data volumes, with Nokia Siemens reporting a 350% rise in data use in 6 months for one network.

Users now want to be connected to the internet all the time. There is an expectation that friends and colleagues are available 24/7 and that the applications used at home or at work should also be with them on their mobile. This will increasingly mean that developments on the web will happen regardless of the device, computer or mobile accessing it. This will require more and more bandwidth and, importantly, speed of access will become paramount. BlackBerry shows the mobile industry that users will not tolerate any more delays in receiving information.

To achieve the improvements in latency, speed and capacity a new system is being developed. Often called 4G, it is known as LTE (Long Term Evolution) where the existing HSPA infrastructure is being reused to allow for download speeds of 173Mbps and upload speeds of 58Mbps; and potentially a lot higher. Mobile TV would no longer require a separate infrastructure to be built, as being proposed at the moment.

Latency will also be reduced from the GPRS 600ms to around 10ms, which will allow mobile on line gaming to be a reality. Multi location video conferencing in high definition will also be viable. With pico projectors inbuilt into handsets, it may even be usable.

All of this is all being achieved by using existing frequencies to get around the ad hoc allocation of frequencies by governments.

There are however big issue for the networks.

Firstly, as data capacity to individual handsets increase, the backhaul from base station to network to internet will become increasingly saturated, and may not keep up with demand.

Secondly, WiMAX will also cause a headache. Even though it, and WiFi, can be integrated into a 4G service, this will require the networks to invest in the new WiMAX start ups. If they don’t they could see their future revenue streams undermined in the profitable city centres.

Thirdly, the mobile networks may not see a return on their investment. As voice becomes just another data service, the mobile networks will become just another bit pipe for all sorts of peer 2 peer streaming services, be it voice, video or games. The trick may be that as LTE also offers definable Quality of Service (QoS) the networks could charge a premium price for service consistency, something that is already being discussed for fixed broadband.

There is real excitement in the mobile industry, and perhaps there should be some fear. Technology, users and handset manufacturers may usurp the network operators’ control of the market they created. 4G has the potential to connect 5 billion people by 2015, so astute marketing will be even more important over the next few years.

A background to mobile security

Tim — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:39:00 +0000

Fifty years ago personal and valuable information was held on paper. Little if any was stored on magnetic media, and that that was could be easily controlled by physical barriers. Yet banks worked well, taxes collected, medical records retained, and the only information thefts were a relatively few individuals’ details through corrupt employees or break in. Life is pretty much the same but the wider use of information and subsequent advances in technology mean that instead of a few copied or stolen notes, almost half the UK population’s bank details have gone missing on a few pieces of plastic.

It is not as if the technology does not exist to protect digital information. Encryption of many sorts have been with us for centuries, and has steadily improved as the means of breaking encryption became cheaper and faster. So it is difficult to understand how and why sensitive information under government control is not secured by multiple layers of encryption and authentication. Or perhaps it isn’t.

Cost, complexity and perfection are hindrances to widely deployed security. Take the case of the personal pin. It is widely known that with simple tricks pin numbers and card details can be discovered through ATM machines or corrupt retailers. There are systems that will generate rolling unique pins which change in minutes and provide individual transaction security. The cost for mass deployment is less that £10 a user; however the banks wanted a cheaper system that would not, presumably, burden their profits. Yet the banks will be the first point of call for anyone who loses money through the loss of government data.

As systems, and data, becomes increasingly interweaved, and the technology for accessing it more capable and mobile, we have seen that ever more organisations are declaring loss or theft of personal information. A simple mobile phone now has the capability of storing millions of highly detailed records with no obvious control. Data can be transferred simply using a cable or Bluetooth connection from the PC ‘terminal’ and taken home. Who would see anything suspicious in having a mobile phone plugged into, or near to, a laptop? For instance a Nationwide employee downloaded a data base of customers to work on, but the laptop was stolen from their home. It could have just as easily been a USB memory stick, mobile phone or PDA, and who hasn’t lost one or more of those?

Of course any organisation holding sensitive information has or is looking at security. The issue is that a perfect solution is desired yet immediate problems are not tackled. It often takes many years to approve and purchase systems. But the threat is here now. Stables are being bolted too many times after a theft or loss has occurred, yet systems are widely available to provide practical everyday security.

There is a mature range of products which can centrally control, report, encrypt and lock down access to information. Such systems can operate over any fixed or wireless bearer and protect PC’s, laptops, terminals, mobile phones, USB connections, Bluetooth & WiFi and encrypt to the highest levels any information on a device.

For example it is a simple matter to steal a mobile phone and remove the SIM. No SMS command to lock the handset remotely will get through. If the user, or organisation, has not specified a default lock, installing a deactivated SIM will allow access to the content of the handset. Thousand’s of personal details then become available through the phone’s memory. Even worse, the memory cards in the handsets can be flipped out and analysed for interesting information.

Due to the complex nature of the security threat and information leakage a mesh of products are required to provide end point security. By For instance Pointsec (encryption), Condico (mobile device management and consultancy), fSecure (mobile anti virus), SecureWave/PatchLink (access and application control) and Citrix for virtual data access.

Instead of announcing that a stolen laptop had password security, would it not be better to say that it was encrypted and traceable? Or is the loss of information just another sign of penny pinching by organisations that seemingly no longer care about their customers?

Police use of Mobile Device Management

Tim — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:49:00 +0100

The UK government is being pressed to reduce the paperwork overload experienced by the Police whilst keeping a detailed audit trail required by government targets. The idea is a response to the demand for more trained police officers on the street rather than pushing a pen back in the office. {Insert BBC/Daily Mail Quote}

One idea is the extensive use of mobile technology to record key crime information at the scene and automate the backend system. This should make the process of reporting much quicker and less burdensome for all concerned.

There are however many potential problems. Firstly the systems have to be created, devices selected, rolled out and commissioned. Secondly they have to be maintained. Thirdly they have to be secured. Mobile Device Management enables this whole process.

Let’s assume that arrests are recorded via a mobile phone device that communicates directly back to HQ and the local station.

Many police officers, and managers {is that the correct term?} out of the 140 thousand plus employed, will have to be provided with a device fitting the nature of their duties.

These devices will be from a number of sources and have a range of capabilities from touch screens, high resolution cameras, high speed data connections, Bluetooth, push email, WiFi, GPS and much else in varying combinations.

All these devices will be linked in some secure way, VPN/encryption/authentication, back to the police data centres.

Each device will have several software applications tailored to that specific device and/or operating system that will need to be periodically updated, or added to; such as encryption, anti virus, crime recording, reporting, push email services etc.

Of course, each device will need to be backed upped and secured locally and remotely when lost , stolen, or retired.

To do all of this from one central area location is a absolute necessity, but without the presence of the device or the officer.

It is illogical to expect a police officer to understand how to install and update software on a device, set up a VPN or to remember to back the device up. It is impossible for the officer not to occasionally lose a device in the heat of an arrest or by accident. This leaves the loss of information from the police service as a serious concern especially when it falls into a third parties hands. From there it can be used against the police by organised criminal gangs, terrorists or blackmailers, and cause a considerable loss of confidence in the police force.

MDM allows for all these issues to be handled as smoothly as possible without having to touch the device. From cradle to grave, the devices are automatically configured, updated, monitored, secured and backed up. This is inspite of the great variety of devices deployed.

In the event of theft, even if the SIM is swapped (such as with ebay sales), the device will report back to the police servers what number is being used, in some cases where the device is located, and provide an automated and secure method of eliminating all information from the device so protecting security and abiding by the information protection laws.

An additional interesting feature is the remote control of devices so that various hardware elements can be activated and controlled, such as Bluetooth discovery which if set on will allow criminal elements to locate and steal a mobile phone. Another interesting idea is the remote control of a handset’s microphone, video camera and GPS to allow the police to monitor and record highly stressed situations without an officer having to switch them on. This can then be used as part of the evidence gathering when considering charging or prosecuting an individual or gang.

Sources:

Mobile had top officer's number

A thief who stole a mobile phone containing the number of a chief constable is being sought by police.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/4013329.stm

Bluetooth 'being used for thefts'

Thieves are using mobile phones to detect laptop computers and other equipment hidden in cars, police have warned.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/6983601.stm

Sharp rise in attacks on police

The number of violent attacks on police officers in Dumfries and Galloway has almost trebled in the past four years.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/7000389.stm

The mobile security minefield

Tim — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 23:55:00 +0100

We are well and truly into the age of remote working, and with the continued advances in PDAs, mobiles and smartphones, the revolution looks likely to continue.

But if MI5 can’t rely on even its most security-conscious officers not to leave devices with valuable data on them in the back of taxis, can you rely on your staff not to do the same?

Changes in work habits mean that sensitive data is more and more likely to leave the office. And the chances of it being safe when it does so are slim. So what can you do about it?

Flexibility isn’t just a buzz word, it’s an important factor in the modern workplace. There is now a rising sector of the workforce, mostly young graduates, who are both relentless in their desire to carve out lasting careers and aware of the need for a healthy work-life balance. For these individuals, remote working is a key attraction in employment, meaning that remote IT working is becoming an all important factor in the recruitment and retention of talent.

However, remote working is not just a recruitment ploy. Almost three quarters of managers who use remote working as a commonplace work option believe that remote workers are more productive than their desk-bound counterparts. This growing army of remote workers are also increasingly tech savvy and use the increasing number of gadgets to enable that flexibility.

And it’s not just the remote workers who benefit from mobile devices. Office-based staff increasingly log in to their emails and work on vital documents on their way to or from meetings or during their commute in a bid to minimise ‘dead time’ and increase productivity. But companies should take the proliferation of stories about recent corporate security breaches as a stark a warning.

Handheld remote working devices doubtlessly offer improvements to the productivity of the modern workplace. But there are risks involved. When a device is misplaced, lost or stolen it isn’t just the economic value of the individual gadget that is lost. Improved technology now means that more data can now be stored on smaller equipment than ever before. It is likely that your smartphone is now capable of holding as much data as your laptop could a few years ago. With certain devices now having storage capacity that can be measured in giga-bytes complete customer or marketing databases can, and are, being stored on a mobile.

The most obvious problem here is that because of the continued reduction in size, it’s much easier to lose or steal a mobile. In August the Department of Health admitted to losing 11 mobile phones and four PDAs, while the MoD has misplaced ten mobiles in the last year. Devices are increasingly capable of sophisticated email and document editing, but it’s not just the memory or storage intensive-gadgets at risk. Even the address book and calendar in the simplest of handsets can contain some of your organisation’s most valuable data. For instance, if a competitor picks up your sales manager’s mobile at a conference the data he or she can retrieve within a few seconds has the potential to wipe millions from your bottom line. What’s more, data can be duplicated, and the original deleted, when staff move to a competitor company.

Aside from the data loss issues arising from the expansion of mobile device use, there are problems surrounding the growing threats from malware. Viruses are now being written for the specific purpose of disrupting mobile units, and it’s relatively easy to get onto unguarded devices. Employees can download and install inappropriate software that could lead to data theft - and even Symbian-approved software can contain malware.

If your employees are accessing corporate networks through their mobiles, PDAs and smartphones they can prove to be the weak link in the chain, capable of bringing down the whole system. New crossover viruses can transmit themselves directly from a phone’s memory card onto any PC the card is inserted into. Smartphones and PDAs are becoming an established and irreplaceable part of working practices and it is now vital for companies to think of ways of securing the data stored and accessed on these devices. Safeguarding their valuable information against accidental loss, opportunist theft, corporate espionage and malware is imperative.

So how do you avoid becoming one of the ‘data in motion’ casualties? The one line answer is mobile device management. Mobile device management (MDM) offers solutions to, among other things, the security problems of all a company’s mobile devices from one central IT department. It doesn’t prevent your devices being lost, but it does minimise the risk of the data being accessed by unauthorised sources.

Device management systems can centrally manage the security functions on all of your employee’s remote equipment, so there is no longer a need for staff to bring their devices in individually for upgrades. Improvements to anti-virus software and programmes can be made en masse to all of the company’s handsets with a few mouse clicks. It can also monitor software loaded by users to make sure that no rogue programmes make their illicit way onto the network.

MDM provides a number of solutions to protect a misplaced mobile, PDA or smartphone. Remote locking is a great way of stopping valuable data being accessed on lost devices. As soon as your employee realises that they have stumbled off their red eye flight without their PDA, their kit can be locked with one quick call to the office, thus protecting the data from prying eyes.

Upon locking, handsets are set to enable a ‘hotkey’ to dial to the support centre. So after your employee has finished intense negotiations with BA to retrieve their phone, they can call using the hotkey, and upon satisfactory security verification their device, and all the data on it, can be restored to full use. And if the phone can’t be reunited with its owner then all the data can be easily wiped – even if another SIM card has been swapped into the phone. Smart organisations will also use MDM to back up data remotely, allowing replacement handsets to be uploaded with contacts, photos, texts and calendar.

When security problems, such as setting changes or inappropriate use arise, MDM users have the added benefit of receiving alerts prompting urgent action. The way your employees use their handsets can also be managed. For example, if web downloads are not a required tool in some of your staff’s daily work, the central system can disable the function in any relevant units. An MDM system is not an expensive outsourcing project. Their software can easily be managed by an organisation’s existing IT help desk. Hosting options from software providers are also available to provide extra back up and support. Safeguarding your firm’s mobile devices is now a vital and basic security need. And MDM makes fulfilling that need a whole lot easier.