Symbian dismisses smartphone security risk

Symbian has dismissed fears that smartphones pose a security risk, claiming instead that they can be "keystones of enterprise security". 

David Wood, executive vice president of research at Symbian, said on the Symbian website that smartphones only pose a security risk if companies ignore basic practical rules. 

Wood's article follows claims that smartphones and other high-end wireless devices can act as an attack vector for viruses and other malware.

A report by research firm Light Reading claimed that intruders can seriously compromise security, particularly for telecoms and IT departments. 

"I understand the concerns but I strongly reject the conclusions," said Wood. "Provided people follow some basic rules, there is no real threat from smartphones."

Wood even claimed that smartphones are safer than desktop PCs because " malware cannot leap across from one smartphone to another" as they can with desktops.

Chief among his rules is the need to install a trustworthy operating system. Wood inevitably directs companies towards Symbian OS v9.2, which includes an automatic check of all add-on software that may incur a phone bill or access private data. 

However, Wood also advises companies to use a virus scanner on the phone and to educate staff about the dangers of installing untrusted software.