Analysts worry about growing IT threats from Skype, GSM networks

Things can always get worse, our crotchety uncle Julius used to moan whenever anyone would ask about his health. So, too, say those charged with carefully analyzing the IT security environment. A number of new legal requirements and potential threats, says Crispin Pikes of Image Analyzer, pose problems that require immediate attention from IT security officials. These include the growing threat from VoIP systems such as Skype and new federal rules of civil procedure requiring companies to maintain the capabilities of storing and recovering instant message conversations related to legal actions. This latter issue, many say, will have an effect on companies similar to that imposed by Sarbanes-Oxley, with many being forced to adopt new procedures and hire new staff to manage them. The rise of private GSM networks, which allow organizations to manage their own internal mobile phone system, also present a major area of concern.