Wireless application security: what's up with that?

Wireless application security and mobile computing security are a must for the untethered enterprise. Application-level security solutions can solve most of the common wireless data and network security problems.

---

from Intel Corp.

The world of mobile data presents many unique challenges and opportunities for the application developer intent on maintaining the highest possible levels of data security. There are a variety of application-level solutions for the data security problems affecting wireless applications.

Some of the differences from desktop PC applications are obvious, given the highly connected, resource-restricted nature of mobile computing. Other differences are less apparent at first glance and require extra care to avoid falling victim to significant security flaws.

In this paper, we focus primarily on application-level solutions for common security problems affecting wireless applications. We will not discuss hardware-level security solutions, such as biometric identity-recognition devices (thumbprint scanners, voice recognition, and so on). Also, for more detailed descriptions of the security problems associated with mobile computing, with less of a focus on solutions, you are encouraged to read The New Security Threats of Mobile Computing.

Definitions
Access Control List (ACL): A list of accounts and its corresponding access rights for a given resource, such as a file or hardware device.

Brute force: A way of breeching a system's security by trying to enumerate through every possible value for its security codes until a successful code is found.

Common Object Model (COM): Pre .NET technology from Microsoft for component-oriented development sometimes referred to as ActiveX.

Distributed COM (DCOM): A binary RPC protocol.