Pointsec --Security in the Palm of Your Hand

By
iApplianceWeb
(04/25/01, 12:55:03 PM EDT)

To address the security concerns of Palm handheld and smartphone users Pointsec Mobile Technologies has released Pointsec for Palm OS, its first PDA security product. Pointsec for Palm OS brings workstation-level security to PDAs and smartphones operating on Palm OS.

Unlike other PDA security products, Pointsec for Palm OS combines access control and authentication features with data encryption to protect everything on the device, not just a few applications. To develop this product, Pointsec has taken the key features and benefits of Pointsec PC 4.0 and created a security product designed to work so that information is transferred from a secure PDA to a secure PC.

Product features of Pointsec for Palm OS include:

• Mandatory Access Control and Advanced User Authentication -- Only authorized users can access the applications and data residing on the PDA. This feature provides additional access control because the login PIN is a set of images or numbers that appear in random order each time a user powers up the PDA, preventing login codes from being copied or etched on the PDA's face due to PIN entry repetition.
• Transparent User Interaction -- Designed to work within the battery life and processor restrictions inherent in PDAs, Pointsec for Palm OS automatically and transparently encrypts and decrypts selected data of Pointsec-ready applications without noticeable lag time.
• Authenticated HotSync and Infrared Security -- Instead of placing synchronization access controls on the PC, Pointsec prevents illicit access to passwords, data, and applications by placing sync controls directly on the PDA. This means that passwords cannot be captured during sync or data transfer. Illicit attempts to use the built-in debug functions will also fail since successful authentication on the device is required to activate communication. To prevent possible data intrusion during HotSync, when the HotSync button is pressed, the user is prompted to enter his/her PIN. If an incorrect PIN is entered, HotSync will not begin, and the data and applications on the PDA will remain secure.
• PointSafe Encryption of Personal Data on Palm OS Devices -- Recommended for Palm OS 3.5x, PointSafe was designed based on customer requests to give users a convenient way to organize and automatically encrypt confidential data. Bundled with Pointsec for Palm OS, PointSafe offers pre-configured, yet customizable, categories to create a secure storage area for personal data such as banking and credit card information, passwords, addresses, and telephone numbers.