Gartner recommends education not bans for camera phones in business

Gartner, Inc. says camera phones could pose a security threat to corporations but recommends that companies provide education to employees rather than completely banning the devices, according to a press release issued today. The consulting firm notes that there are many other consumer devices besides camera phones that could pose threats.

Hear! Hear! Finally there's a report from a consulting firm that doesn't advocate draconian measures.

Gartner says by 2006 more than 80 percent of cellular phones shipped in the United States and Western Europe will have cameras, so corporations need to "implement security programs that can realistically be managed."

Realistic policies

Gartner suggests that corporations ban camara phones in specific areas but allow them in other locations, making sure that employees understand the security policies.

Ken Dulaney, the vice president of research at Gartner, says camera phones aren't the only potential danger. He notes, for example, that USB "drives" -- some of which have built in cameras -- and the new DVD burners could create problems by, I assume, enabling employees to easily steal large amounts of corporate information.

"Any company policy directed at camera phones should be widened to address the transfer of information from enterprise environments to consumer devices in general," Dulaney says.

That's a good point. Corporate executives are becoming paranoid about camera phones and they are, to coin a phrase, mising the forest for the trees.

Comments

[S Woodside]

"mising the forest for the trees"

or throwing the baby out with the bath water.

simon