Mistaken Thinking – Risk not threats

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Via a LinkedIn posting in the Infosecurity magazine forum titled
"Internet Threats Posed By Mobile Devices: How Can We Prevent Them?"
I came to
http://www.mxsweep.com/blog/bid/65075/Internet-Threats-Posed-By-Mobile-Devices-How-Can-We-Prevent-Them

OUCH OUCH OUCH!

The mobile devices don't pose threats.
The mobile devices represent risks.

Threats are external. They are not under your control.

The article title is clearly confusing THREATS with RISKS.

There are aspects of risks which ARE under your control.
You can control how EXPOSED you are to threats and how they will IMPACT you - or more specifically your assets. In this case the mobile devices.

You can't prevent threats, you can only mitigate their IMPACT.
You can instigate preventive measures.

Mobile devices and the data on them are ASSETS, not threats.

Correct terminology leads to correct thinking.
Eliminating misunderstanding and confusion leads to effective results.

Related articles

• The threat facing Android (Hint: It's not Apple) - Fortune Tech (tech.fortune.cnn.com)
• Mobile threats increased during first half of 2011 (preternaturalpost.com)
• 5 Ways To Fight Mobile Malware (informationweek.com)
• Malware risk on Android devices growing, report says (sfgate.com)
• Mobile Device Security: Questions to Ask for Creating Policy (pcworld.com)
• Mobile app malware menace grows (go.theregister.com)
• Securing Mobile Devices (enhancedtech.wordpress.com)
• Cyber criminals targeting mobile devices (premierlinedirect.co.uk)