Encryption software is set to soar

JUNIPER RESEARCH reckons that with the value of enterprise information rocketing almost three quarters of handsets will soon need to have added encryption technology.

Juniper said that almost 80 million corporate devices would need extra security by 2014. The numbers come from the report titled Endpoint Security for Business: Desktops, Laptops & Mobile Devices 2009-2014, and tells us that the largest consumers of such tech will come from the UK, closely followed by the US, China and South East Asia.

So far the researchers tell us that, despite the best efforts of virus and malware writers, mobile devices and their apps have been fairly secure. However it warns that this may change over the coming years.

"Improvements to the underlying security of the mobile operating system, shorter replacement cycles and concerted efforts by the mobile industry to avoid the problems seen in the PC world have so far kept the malware threat to the mobile device at bay," said Anthony Cox, senior analyst at Juniper Research.

Despite the fact that the other countries mentioned as large consumers have much larger populations, the UK and US are set to be the leaders because their businesses are the most concerned about data protection. Something that becomes increasingly important when you recall the value of personal information, and the relative strength of its holders.

Which is good news for us, but bad news for Mr K Ching of 22 Acacia Avenue, Hong Kong. µ