Growing number of smartphone holes

The list of holes computer researchers are finding in the high-powered cellphones and their software is growing, so security is becoming a bigger concern for mobile devices. 

In 2009, security experts identified 30 security flaws in the software and operating systems of smartphones made by companies like Apple and Nokia Corp. However, there's little evidence malicious hackers have exploited such holes on a significant scale. In March, two experts of the University of Luxembourg extracted an entire database of text messages from an iPhone using a corrupt website. Apple patched that hole almost three months after it was reported, but a growing number of vulnerabilities have also been uncovered in the networks and applications that run on mobile devices. One way smartphone manufacturers try to keep out hackers is by a process called sandboxing, which prevents applications from seeing each other or accessing specific data. Nicolas Seriot, a Swiss software engineer, showed that the sandbox isn't always perfect by creating SpyPhone software.  It allows him to access a range of private data on the iPhone, including ID and email address. More information about thin theme could be found at WSJ web site.