Page last updated at 18:38 GMT, Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Offline security warning sounded  Laptop and warning tape
Working offline can come with an unexpected risk  A security
expert has sounded a warning on features that allow offline
access to websites.  Offline web applications allow people to
store data on their own computer, so that they can use services
like web-based e-mail when not online.  But sites with poor
security that use the feature put their visitors at risk of
being robbed of their data.  Michael Sutton disclosed the threat
at the Black Hat security conference in Washington, DC.  Offline
web applications are taking off because of services such as
Gears, developed by Google, and HTML 5, a new HTML specification
that is still in draft form.  It was introduced to many web
users in January, when Gmail introduced a Gears-powered offline
mode. Offline Gmail lets users read and write e-mail when
they're not connected to the internet.  Mr Sutton stressed that
Gmail, Gears and HTML 5 are considere