As the use of personal phones at work increases, so does the threat of hacking.

More small companies are allowing employees to use their personal smart phones for work. But that move could lead to big trouble, thanks to hackers who are starting to target mobile phones.

Hackers can use spyware to keep an eye on your messages, possibly gleaning company secrets. They can even track your device's location.

For big companies with watchful IT staffs, these threats are much easier to handle. But small businesses often lack the resources to put up firewalls or pay for expensive security software. In many cases, they are simply unaware of the threats.

Now security companies are addressing the needs of small and medium-size businesses. A number of providers are gearing up inexpensive mobile software that encrypts e-mail traffic, or monitors phones for suspicious activity. Others are trying to add the security into the phone before the customer even buys it.

Mobile spyware, according to experts, is readily available. Many point to FlexiSPY, a program sold by Thai software company Vervata Co. Vervata promotes the product as a way to catch cheating spouses. FlexiSPY tracks the device's whereabouts and monitors incoming and outgoing calls, text messages and e-mails. The information is uploaded for viewing.

Some security experts argue that the software can be used by anyone to steal personal information and company secrets. A business might install the software on a rival's phone, for instance, to steal a contact list or monitor e-mail traffic.

Phones that use the Symbian operating system are vulnerable to a program that can capture keystrokes. With the software -- which comes hidden in files and games -- hackers can see everything you type.

BlackBerrys may also be vulnerable to attack. In 2006, a security expert developed a program called BB Proxy to highlight the risks the gadgets face from spyware. The program can be delivered wirelessly or installed when a user downloads an unprotected program. Once inside, it can access a company's internal network and snoop on private information.

BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion Ltd. said that security policies built into the BlackBerry Enterprise Server software, used to coordinate e-mail systems, can guard against such spyware. But many small businesses can't afford it.

Even Apple Inc.'s iPhone security upgrades may not be enough, said Dan Hoffman, chief technology officer of security-software maker SMobile Systems Inc. While the iPhone offers password protection -- which most hackers can easily break -- it lacks other capabilities such as data encryption, he said.

In addition, the iPhone's Safari browser could be susceptible to attacks if it stumbles upon the wrong Web site.

Small businesses have a growing choice of options, with a number of companies creating encryption software that makes data much tougher to read, and others introducing low-cost spyware and virus protection.

SMobile, of Columbus, Ohio, offers a number of programs that set up firewalls to keep out foreign programs and check for unusual behavior. The company also runs a virus threat center that monitors different viruses and sends updates.

And Discretix Technologies Ltd., of Israel, is working with handset makers such as Motorola Inc. and Sony Ericsson to have its data-encryption software built into their products by the fourth quarter.

Originally published by ROGER CHENG Wall Street Journal.

(c) 2008 Tulsa World. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.