McAfee Security today released research designed to persuade mobile operators to invest more in security – or risk huge loses through malicious attacks by 2005. Mercer Management Consulting, commissioned by McAfee to look into the issue, reckons that from 2005, European operators stand to lose $10.5bn annually, unless they install protection. (Actually, Mercer comes up with the extraordinarily precise figure of $10,542,493,947 in losses without protection, and $749,669,496 lost even with “effective protection” against mobile malicious threat assaults.) McAfee’s wireless security evangelist, Sal Viveros, conceded loyally defended Mercer against our scepticism. Mercer’s figures are, in our opinion, guesstimates at best. Full Story