http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22098992-15306,00.html
By Chris Jenkins
July 19, 2007
MICROSOFT has submitted its Windows Mobile operating system for
assessment by the nation's peak IT security agency, hoping to bring it
up to par with its BlackBerry rival.
Microsoft announced that its Windows Mobile 5 and Windows Mobile 6
systems had been accepted into the Defence Signals Directorate's (DSD)
Australasian Information Security Evaluation Program (AIESEP).
DSD acting director Lynwen Connick said approval under the program could
open the door to greater government adoption of the systems.
"The evaluation of Windows Mobile 5 and 6 is an important step in
evaluating emerging technology for potential use in government systems,"
she said. "The successful evaluation of these products will mean that
government can be assured that there will be greater choices available
to work remotely."
Compared to some of its rivals, Microsoft has relatively few products on
the AIESEP Evaluated Products List (EPL).
Securing Windows Mobile a place on the EPL would allow Microsoft to
better compete for government work against Research in Motion's
BlackBerry handheld, which has BlackBerry versions 3.6 to 4.x, 7230 and
8700g listed as completing evaluation in 2005.
Microsoft products on the list include versions of Windows 2000
Professional, Server and Advanced Server, with the evaluation done in
the US in 2002 as part of a program through which DSD recognises the
evaluation made by similar agencies in several other countries.
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 are listed as "progressing" with the
evaluation also being done in the US.
Received on Thu Jul 19 00:33:55 2007