Thursday, 23 February 2012
Mobile security concerns in 2012
Mobile security concerns in 2012
By Security Asia Editors | Dec 28, 2011
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PrintThe widespread adoption of mobile devices, proliferation of applications and growth of cloud computing are helping accelerate business innovation and social benefits. However, today’s always-on world brings with it a new and ever-changing set of security challenges.
With this trend in mind, Verizon’s ICSA Labs division recommends that businesses and consumers guard against the following 13 security threats in 2012:
- Mobile Malware Is on the Rise. Malware targeting mobile devices will continue to increase, and enterprises will wrestle with how to protect users. Obvious targets will be smartphones and tablets, with the hardest hit likely to be Android-based devices, given that operating system’s large market share and open innovation platform. All mobile platforms will experience an increase in mobile attacks.
- Criminals Target and Infect App Stores. Infected applications, rather than browser-based downloads, will be the main sources of attack. Because they are not policed well, unauthorized application stores will be the predominant source of mobile malware. Cybercriminals will post their infected applications here to attempt to lure trusting users into downloading rogue applications. Cybercriminals also will find ways to get their applications posted into authorized application stores. And infections can easily spread beyond the smartphone and into a corporate network, upping the ante on risk.
- Application Scoring Systems Will Be Developed and Implemented. To reassure users, organizations will want to have their application source code reviewed by third parties. Similarly, organizations will want to be sure that the applications approved for use on workers’ devices meet a certain standard. It is anticipated that the industry will develop a scoring system that helps ensure that users only download appropriate, corporate-sanctioned applications to business devices.
- Emergence of Bank-Friendly Applications With Built-In Security. Mobile devices will increasingly be used to view banking information, transfer money, donate to charities, and make payments for goods and services, presenting an opportunity for cybercriminals, who will find ways to circumvent protections. To help ensure the security of online banking, the banking industry is likely to begin to offer applications that have strong, built-in security layers.
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