Patent ID: 8370946

Claim:
A portable information device having a dynamically configurable security arrangement, the device comprising: computer circuitry, including a processor operatively coupled to a data store; wireless communications circuitry; and a power supply that provides power to the computer circuitry, user interface, and wireless communications circuitry, the power supply including an on-board energy source; wherein the computer circuitry includes a security arrangement comprising: a configurable security module that facilitates security services in the portable information device, wherein the configurable security module is capable of selectively executing certain ones of the security services locally on the portable information device, and is capable of selectively utilizing at least one computing device that is distinct from the portable information device to remotely execute certain ones of the security services; a risk profiling module adapted to dynamically re-assess a current set of security risks to which the information device is exposed; and a security configuration module that is adapted to: (i) dynamically generate a selection of which of the security services are to be executed locally by the security module on the portable information device, and which of the security services are to be executed remotely on the at least one computing device that is distinct from the portable information device, the selection being made in response to a re-assessment of the current set of security risks to which the portable information device is exposed by the risk profiling module; and (ii) dynamically reconfigure operational settings of the configurable security module such that security services are facilitated based on the selection that is generated in (i).