Last Updated on Monday, 28 December 2009 11:43 Friday, 31 July 2009 09:54

Q: Should we avoid using iPhones because they can be hacked with text messages?

A: This week, two hackers demonstrated at an annual conference how to hack an iPhone using special characters in SMS text messages. Some facts about the hack:

• The text messages must contain a special "square" character
• At least 512 text messages must be received
• The hack requires no user action
• If hacked, the phone is under complete control of the remote hacker
• All smartphones are vulnerable to this SMS hack or others, including Windows, Blackberry, Palm, and Google Android
• Apple released a firmware 3.0.1 patch to fix this vulnerability on the iPhone

This hack has been publicized as an iPhone vulnerability, but it's really a general smartphone vulnerability. Smartphones are essentially handheld computers, and this is demonstration of that fact. So, like any other computer purchase, the possibility of it being hacked shouldn't really change your purchase decision, but may influence the decision of which employees get one.

Compared to standard mobile phones, smartphones bring a great deal of functionality with them, but with tradeoffs. Some tradeoffs you should consider before using smartphones for business:

• The initial cost is often several times that of a normal mobile phone
• They require more IT support since they require maintenance like any computer
• The phone and company data can be lost or stolen even more easily than a laptop
• Wi-Fi capable smartphones use network resources and can cause network problems like any computer
• They require extra learning and support, both for end-users and IT
• Software licensing and costs treat smartphones like any computer

Most companies fully realize these tradeoffs only after they start to use smartphones, and they are a big reason many smartphone initiatives don't live up to expectations. If you don't use applications designed specifically to run on smartphones, they will be more of an expense than a productivity tool.

The bottom line is that smartphones have been treated like they are phones and not computers, but the SMS hack announcement is a wake-up call demanding that thinking must change. Do you use a desktop computer and a laptop computer? Do you really need a smartphone computer in addition to that? Most companies limit the number of computers per employee to limit IT costs, so smartphones should be treated the same.

Contact us for help with a total cost benefit analysis of smartphones or other non-standard computing devices in your business.