Apple taking mobile security very seriously in light of Black Hat conference
Apple may be taking its entry into the mobile commerce industry cautiously, but the company has been taking the issue of mobile security quite seriously. The famed technology company recently confirmed that NFC technology would be included in its highly anticipated iPhone 5. The technology has made headlines recently due to the focus it received at the annual Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Security enthusiasts have been highlighting the potential security shortfalls and risks NFC technology represents. Apple may have a solution to these problems, however.
Apple acquires AuthenTec
The technology company has announced the acquisition of mobile security company AuthenTec for $356 million. The security company specializes in creating security products for mobile devices and has done so for companies like Samsung in the past. One of the company’s products that seems to have caught the interest of Apple is its fingerprint recognition software. Apple is beginning to examine how such software could be used with NFC technology.
Company specializes in mobile security software
AuthenTec currently own 200 patents that run a wide range of sensor and fingerprint technologies. These technologies could have promising implications to Apple’s use of NFC technology. It is likely that such technology would make NFC technology more secure, thus eliminating the concerns some consumers have had regarding mobile commerce and the technology’s access to their financial information.
Apple aims to ensure the safety of NFC technology
Creating a new layer of security could help with the adoption of mobile commerce and NFC technology. Concerns regarding the safety of NFC technology were prevalent before the Black Hat conference this month, but the event has brought the issue into the limelight. These concerns could serve to derail the progress the mobile commerce industry has seen recently. Though Apple has adopted a slow approach to the industry, it still has tentative plans to engage in mobile commerce in some way. As such, the company is keen to ensure that the security of its consumers is ensured.
