Apple iPad: Security Considerations

Now all the brouhaha surrounding the new Apple iPad has passed, let's take a more considered look at this device: world changer, or solution looking for a problem?

Many people have erroneously stated that the iPad is a product with no market because the netbook already covers that gap between smartphone and laptop perfectly adequately, and thus - as a device with a "proper keyboard", is superior to the iPad.

They are missing the point.

In his presentation, Jobs stated that in order for this new device to have a reason for being, it would have to outperform either (or both) the smartphone or the laptop in seven key areas:

Browsing

E-mail

Photos (sharing/viewing)

Video

Music

Games

eBooks

The netbook can do all of this, but does none of them better than a laptop. A netbook is, after all, just a small laptop, and exists purely because it offers a lower price point.

The iPad, however, scores at least 4 or 5 out of 7 (I am not convinced it can do either music or iPhone-type games better than the iPhone, nor e-mail better than a laptop), which is enough to give it a pretty significant potential market.

Yes it has some perceived "problems": strange screen aspect ratio; no GPS; no camera (think video conferencing, not photo taking); and, above all, no multi-tasking (that in is a REAL shame). But despite all of that, it is still the proverbial game changer.

Once you factor in the ability to use the new iWork apps to do some serious word processing, spreadsheet or presentation work, you have a serious contender for Travelling Companion of the Year for most corporate road warriors.

Let's face it, unless you are doing some serious keyboard/mouse work or need some significant screen real-estate, there is not much reason to choose a 6lb laptop over a 1.5lb iPad. And even the keyboard issue could be resolved with the addition of the keyboard dock accessory.

And herein lies the potential problem for the corporate security guys. In creating the perfect road warrior machine for the mobile workforce, Apple has created a repository for gigabytes of sensitive corporate data without any apparent way to a) secure it or b) remote-wipe it should the machine be lost or (more likely given its initial highly desirable status!) stolen.

It took some time for Apple to offer a nod to the security world with the iPhone and include the sort of features that meant at least the CSO wasn't tearing his hair out every time an employee turned up to work with one. These included both encryption and remote wipe capabilities, but no mention was made of these during the iPad launch.

The reason for that is probably that, if they work at all, they wouldn't be very effective in a device like this. The remote wipe capability, for example, relies on the iPhone being connected to a cellular network. Unfortunately, the vast majority of iPads will probably be sold with no 3G capability, thus eliminating this feature (not that removing the SIM card wouldn't have the same effect, of course!)

Does the iPad offer device-wide encryption for all user documents? There was no mention of this, and the iPhone's encryption mechanism proved fairly straightforward to bypass by anyone with a modicum of hacking knowledge anyway.

Whereas the iPhone was never likely to be used to store gigabytes of corporate data, however, the iPad is designed for just that. And the use of basic office productivity applications means that some means of quickly and easily getting the documents on and off the device is required. A quick look through the new SDK reveals that it will be achieved by making those documents available via a mountable share - a far cry from the current situation where applications and their data are sandboxed.

How well that mechanism will be protected (if at all) remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure - in the next 60 days the CSO/CISO is going to have to put some thought into how this latest creation from the boys in Cupertino is going to fit into his corporate security policy.

A Little Christmas Humour

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary.

Every word out of the bird's' mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even more rude. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed.

Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute.

Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behaviour."

John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude.

As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behaviour, the bird spoke-up, very softly, "May I ask what the turkey did?"

Two Extremes

Two different takes on the same subject...

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Ruled by savages and the law of ‘My Way’

This is an extract from Peter Hitchens' Mail On Sunday column (which can be read in its entirety here).

It is sad. It is true. French people often ask us why we moved to France, assuming it was for the weather, or cheap wine. This is the real reason:

"The savages are on the loose. The well-behaved, the restrained and the reasonable are in retreat. A woman who complained about rowdy teenagers in a Leeds cinema was followed to a nearby restaurant and horribly attacked.

Bleach was poured over her, which may have damaged her eyesight. The woman was being punished under the new legal code of Britain, which is the law of fear and strength and ‘My Way’. It could have been any of us. Such places exist in most towns and cities and so do groups of noisy youths who think it is their absolute right to behave as they wish.

Then there are the arrogant cyclists, so smug about their carbon footprints that they believe they can ride on pavements and footpaths and shoot through red lights and that the law does not apply to them.
And there are the millions of despicable maniacs who text and phone while driving cars, many of whom will one day stand weeping over the broken body of the person they are destined to kill or maim, whimpering ‘I didn’t mean to’. Oh, yes, you did. You knew, and you didn’t care.

Try to reprove any of them and you are immediately the one in the wrong. Their brows cloud with righteous fury. They begin with the assumption that it is you who are at fault. The comparatively polite ones snarl, ‘Don’t you have anything better to do?’, ‘Get a life’, or ‘What business is it of yours?’

The rest use the kind of words popularised on the airwaves by David Cameron and Jonathan Ross. Or, increasingly, they attack you with confident spite, sure that nothing will happen to them."

Villa With Pool For Sale in South of France (near Nimes)

Detached south facing private villa with pool, fully renovated to exceptionally high standard. Quiet village location with good amenities within walking distance, 20 minutes to Nimes, 10 mins to A9. Ready to move into with absolutely nothing to do.

Entrance leads into light and airy very spacious open plan sitting room with south facing patio doors, leading out onto sunny terrace and garden. Ample space for a dining area. Insert fireplace.

Newly renovated high quality fully fitted Leicht kitchen with island work surface and dining area. Miele appliances including multifunction oven, steam oven, espresso machine, warming drawer. Large rectangular induction hob plus domino gas wok attachment. Patio doors leading on to terrace and garden.

Utility room with floor to ceiling cupboards, sink and plumbed for washing machine. Very spacious.

Downstairs cloakroom.

First floor includes very spacious light master bedroom, with en suite. Triple fitted wardobes plus 2 further double fitted wardrobes. Exceptionally large walk in shower, italian fittings. Patio doors leading out on to sunny terrace and also into large (6 x 4) veranda room which is used as a 2nd sitting room.

Three further double bedrooms, one of which has patio doors, leading out on to terrace.

Family bathroom, with Porcelenosa fittings.

Separate studio, with own en suite shower room (4 x 3) ideal for guests.

Large south facing pool, surrounded by terrace, including large covered terrace area, extensive ambient lighting.

Low maintenance south facing garden with automatic watering system for beds and lawn.

Huge north facing terrace, ideal for al fresco eating in the height of summer.

Ample parking for 5/6 cars, plus double garage.
Total privacy, very quiet and tranquil area.
Brand new gas central heating system. Water softener.

Renovated to very high standard and would be ready to move into immediately.

Original pictures here, or slide show below

The Farting Joke

I was in the pub yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to fart. The music was really, really loud, so I timed my farts with the beat.

After a couple of songs, I started to feel better. I finished my pint and noticed that everybody was staring at me.

Then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my iPod.

God Vs Tiger

God meets the world’s greatest golfers as they enter heaven.

God asks Arnie first: ‘What do you believe?’

Arnie thinks long and hard, looks God in the eye, and says, ‘I believe
in hard work, and in staying true to family and friends. I believe in
giving. I was lucky, but I always tried to do right by my fans.’

God can’t help but see the essential goodness of Palmer, and offers him a
seat to his left.

Then God turns to Nicklaus and says, ‘What do you believe?’

Jack says ‘I believe passion, discipline, courage and honor are the
fundamentals Of life. I, too, have been lucky, but win or lose, I’ve
always tried to be a true sportsman, both on and off the playing fields.”

God is greatly moved by Jack’s high-pitched eloquence, and he offers him a
seat to his right.

Finally, God turns to Woods: ‘And you, Tiger, what do you believe?’

Tiger replies, ‘I believe you’re in my seat.’

tumblr

I have been experimenting with tumblr recently as a means of merging my blog entires and Twitter feed. It also provides an easy means of posting quick entries, links, video and pictures via Web or iPhone client.

I am hoping that my tumblelog will provide a more complete picture of my activities whenever there is a lull in my blogging, but given that a lot of my Twitter posts are a bit on the techie or "professional" side, I am not sure how that stream will sit with my blog entries, which are usually more personal.

We shall see.

For now, please visit and bookmark http://blog.bobwalder.com

This is worth bookmarking permanently, since if I decide at a later date to revert completely to Blogger (or any other blogging platform) that address will continue to point to my new blog.

I will probably continue to duplicate blog entries here for the time being, too, but please give my tumblelog a try.

For those of you who like to follow Harry's adventures in the Twitterverse, he also has a tumblelog at http://harrywinston.tumblr.com