With the standardization of platforms and their increasing connectivity, mobile devices are susceptible to an increasing number of threats. The number of malware programs that run on mobile platforms is growing and more spam messages are sent through SMS. New sources of content, such as WAP and WAP-Push are also used to deliver unwanted material.

In addition to threats posed by malware, spam and other undesirable content, mobile devices are susceptible to hacking and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. Mobile devices, many of which now have the same network connectivity traditionally associated only with larger computing devices like notebook computers and desktops, are now targets for these attacks.

Additionally, the theft of mobile devices may lead to the compromise of personal or sensitive data.