Survey Highlights Tablet Security Risks

Apple seems poised to move tablet computers closer toward the mainstream of the consumer — and even enterprise — computing world.

The iPad 2, available today, is likely to touch off another sales bonanza for the computing company. But while consumers have already shown a tremendous appetite for the new form factor, sober new polling suggests that tablet users may be putting themselves at a substantial security risk.

The new survey, from Harris Interactive, found that 48 percent of tablet users transfer sensitive data over the device, well ahead of the 30 percent of users who perform the same function on their smartphones.

At the same time, only a slim minority — 18 percent — said they had strong confidence in the security of the devices, while 15 percent said they were not at all confident.

“We have effectively entered the post PC era. As the use of tablets increase across the world, mobile security will become a vitally important factor in the delivery of services to these platforms, especially as users more willingly trust these devices for sensitive and private information,” said Jeff Cavins, CEO of FuzeBox, which sponsored the research.

eSecurity Planet takes a look at the survey.

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Tablet Users Passing More Sensitive Data: Report