Verizon are doing level best to expose the weaknesses of the iPhone in the current “droiddoes” campain. Both the Apple iPhone and Motorola Droid devices are packed full of features, but both do not do security. The ability to install applications on the device – something common to all smartphones – comes with huge security risks, for individual subscribers, service providers and enterprises.

Limiting subscribers to downloading applications from approved app stores, certainly mitigates some of the risk. However there are several well known and freely available cracks online that will effectively bypass almost any restrictions and protection mechanisms.

Just in case the simple man on the street felt he had nothing to lose, vulnerabilities of the operating system pose other threats, placing the end-user at risk. Viruses and the trojan horse can reveal and/or modify personal information. These viruses can grab personal payment information such as credit card numbers, illegally obtain contact information from our private phone book stored on the mobile phone, and access our home network using a mobile device’s WiFi capabilities.

As smartphones become more prevalent and entrenched in our work and home lives, their security requirements increase as well. Without such safeguards in place, people will never feel safe using smartphones, thereby preventing these powerful innovations from ever reaching their full potential.