Researchers warn of risk to security from iPods

Researchers warn of riskto security from iPods
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Companies beware: Critical corporate data might be dancing out of the office with workers who bring their iPods to work. The research firm Gartner Inc. warns of security risks posed by the popular music player and other portable storage devices that plug into a PC's USB or FireWire ports. The iPod, like the rest, can hold data in addition to tunes.
"Businesses are increasingly putting themselves at risk by allowing the unauthorized and uncontrolled use of portable storage devices," Gartner analyst Ruggero Contu wrote.
The problem, he says, is twofold. In one scenario, employees could simply drag and drop sensitive files into the devices, which often come with gigabytes of storage capacity. In the other, the devices could carry a virus, Trojan horse or other malware.
The solution?
"Companies should forbid the use of uncontrolled, privately owned devices with corporate PCs," Contu said.
Prohibition isn't the only way to mitigate risk, however.
Bosses also can educate employees, create policies and protect data with encryption. There are also programs available, including an offering from SecureWave, that limit use of a PC's USB ports to authorized devices.
Contu, who is based in the United Kingdom, did not compare the risk from portable storage to those from floppy disks, CD burners, e-mail and printers.
British government hassuggestions for BBC site
LONDON -- A U.K. government report suggests that the British Broadcasting Corp. drop some features from its popular Web site to better concentrate on news.
The review, commissioned by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, also calls for outside contractors to provide a quarter of the site's non-news content by 2006.
Philip Graf, the author of the review, said some BBC features -- including fantasy football, games and entertainment listings -- differed little from those of commercial competitors or were only faintly associated with the BBC's commitment to public service.
The BBC, whose Internet activities have been strongly criticized by commercial publishers, was given until October to respond. But the corporation said it had already closed some sites and planned to shut down five more.
The British Internet Publishers Alliance, in its submission to Graf's review, accused the BBC of spending up to $180 million a year on its Web site, in contrast to an agreed budget of $38 million.
Spending on news content, Graf reported, was projected to be $28 million this year.
Associated Press
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