Numerous technological innovations have improved the quality of human life. For instance, the Internet has boosted the efficiency of business operations and provided cost-effective channels for day-to-day personal communication.
However, despite its long list of advantages, the emergence of the Internet still has its fair share of drawbacks. One particular downside is the alarming prevalence of cybersecurity threats.
According to Michael Cooney of Network World, mobile devices are highly susceptible to cyberattacks due to their lack of security. Moreover, the Kaspersky Lab reported that they had detected about 3.5 million malware pieces on over one million user gadgets in 2014.
Additionally, individuals are not the only ones affected by mobile security threats. Organizations are also vulnerable, considering that employees typically access company data outside the office through their smartphones.
This is why aside from investing in savvy in-house solutions to protect your business from cybersecurity threats, it's equally vital to implement strategies and plans that extend to your personnel's smartphone use, such as imposing data confidentiality regulations and educating them about mobile security.
Below, we have compiled several common mobile security threats that you should take into account to effectively devise risk mitigation tactics.
Riskware Mobile Apps
The most common culprits behind unintentional data leakage are mobile applications. In fact, eSecurity Planet shares that smartphone users are often carefree about the security of riskware apps. Thus, they grant all permissions, such as access to their contacts and photo gallery. Riskware apps are downloadable free in most official app stores, which is why they are prevalent among users.
A riskware app does deliver the performance promised in its description; however, it can also transmit personal and corporate data to offsite or remote servers. Advertisers then mine the gathered volumes of data, but they are accessible to cybercriminals, as well.
Social Engineering Cons
If you run an enterprise, you have probably invested in software and other tech solutions to protect your business from cyberattacks. A large number of companies also employ IT specialists and enforce firewall protection in the workplace to lessen cybersecurity risks.
While all these may be effective in securing in-house devices, they neglect mobile gadgets, which are also susceptible to phishing attacks. According to a study conducted by IBM, people are thrice more likely to be victimized by phishing when they are on mobile than desktop computers.
The key reason for this is that the majority of people see messages more frequently on their smartphones, and the size of the device limits the display. Therefore, it's easier for cybercriminals to trick users into thinking that spoof messages came from legitimate sources since only the sender's name is shown in a notification.
Poor Wi-Fi Security
Cellular data use can spike phone bills, which explains why many users take advantage of wireless hotspots available in public establishments. The problem is, most free Wi-Fi networks are incredibly lacking in security. If you use free Wi-Fi to perform sensitive tasks like shop online or do banking procedures, you will compromise personal information like your bank and credit card details.
Actual Loss or Theft of Devices
The portability of mobile devices allows for convenient use, which, in turn, makes them more appealing to consumers. However, their portability can also be a threat, because just as they are easier to transport and bring than bulky gadgets, there is also an increased chance of being stolen, temporarily misplaced, and lost.
To cut a long story short, when your device gets into the hands of a stranger, he will gain access to your personal information, corporate data, and even gateway applications, which can endanger both yourself and the company you're running or working for.
Outdated Devices
The Internet of Things (IoT) has introduced a new threat to corporate security. This is because unlike traditional office equipment such as desktop computers and laptops, they usually don't offer guaranteed timely and continual software updates.
For instance, many Android phone manufacturers are not efficient with keeping their electronic products up to date. Most IoT devices are also not designed to sustain automatic updates, making their operating systems easy targets for cybercriminals.
Broken Cryptography
If you think you are thoroughly protected by your passwords, we hate to break it to you, but you need to reassess your mindset. Broken cryptography can actually undermine the strength of your passwords. Broken cryptography occurs when developers of mobile apps utilize weak encryption algorithms or improperly implement highly secure encryption.
As a result, it becomes more feasible for unauthorized users to crack passwords and gain access to devices. To make matters worse, hackers can also cause trouble without having to crack passwords. This happens when the developers leave flaws or "backdoors" in the code, which enable attackers to manipulate and modify the functions of an app.
The Takeaway
In this digital age, mobile security threats continue to be pressing issues. As the population of smartphone users grows in number, security risks also evolve and abound. Therefore, to protect your devices and data, you must be educated about common threats. Being well informed allows you to detect malicious activities, as well as craft risk management strategies and incident response plans.
Author: Peter Porr is the Marketing and Brand Manager for ImageWare Systems. He continually works on developing market awareness of, what is now recognized to be, one of the world’s leading Secured 2FA & Multi-Factor Biometric Authentication solutions in the world.
