Mobile tech is here to stay

Handheld computers are great until you try to protect them from hackers. Then portable devices, especially personal digital assistants and laptops become a big headache. In a new survey, the Computing Technology Industry Association found that 60 percent of organizations surveyed said that security issues had increased over the last 12 months. And the problem is bound to increase. About 80 percent of the organizations in the survey permit data access by remote or mobile employees. Not surprisingly, only a third have developed any security awareness training for these workers. So what's a CIO to do? Get with this issue quickly because mobile technology is not just coming--it's already here. "The increasing pervasiveness of remote access to confidential data and applications by mobile employees, and the implementation of wireless networks, are raising the stakes for corporate IT departments," said John Venator, president and chief executive officer of CompTIA. What are you doing about this issue? Are you blocking mobile access until you can be sure it is secure? Are only a few top-level employees at your shop allowed to use remote devices? Let us know if you are ready for this high-tech revolution, and how your colleagues can be ready for it, too.

To read more about this mobile trend:
- See this Federal Computer Week article