Threat Of Mobile Malware On The Increase
Fri 23 Dec, 2011 // Chris Allan
2011 has witnessed a massive rise in mobile targeted malware. The mobile market has dominated this year, with more smartphones now being sold than PCs. The omnipresence of these smartphones has resulted in a rise in the number of attacks aimed at smartphones as cybercriminals have acknowledged them as profitable targets for compromising user data.
In the third quarter of 2011, the vast majority of mobile malware was aimed at Android devices, which occupy a 52.5 percent share in the entire global smartphone market. Some attacks involved sending SMS Trojans to collect personal information with the aim of stealing money while others recorded phone conversations to obtain this personal information. There has been a heightened level of sophistication this year with regard to the hacktivist attacks. Now they not only target private individuals but also well-known commercial and government organisations.
Many information security organisations are now offering advice to help people and companies protect themselves from the said attacks. One key way of doing this is to set up a password or code to lock and unlock your smartphone. Pin numbers have been proven to be the best methods of protection. However, research has shown that the passwords in the Android devices are more likely to be guessed because hackers could easily follow “smudges” on their screens.
Employees and other individuals are also recommended not to share their “location” in an application which is GPS-enabled as knowing a person's exact whereabouts can be a huge security concern. This is particularly worrying with regard to child safety. Avoiding automatically uploading photos to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter is also encouraged.
The predictions for mobile malware in 2012 unfortunately foresee this trend continuing. Expectations state that next year the hacktivist attacks will focus on the Olympics as the major sporting event of 2012 and will also see increased attacks in the emailing and social media sphere. It will be essential to ensure that information security measures are implemented in devices which can access any organisation's data and information.
“We have been pleased to work with commissum who have provided us with services to address our Security Assurance requirements. commissum met our demands, as an organisation operating within the Legal Services sector, with the highest level of integrity, commitment and excellent level of service. We would have no hesitation in recommending commissum.”
Mr Kenneth P, IT Manager, National Legal Services
"commissum recently provided us with services to assess a web application and supporting infrastructure. I was impressed with the consultants throughout the project, by their technical knowledge, flexibility, open communication and willingness to go that extra mile. Of particular benefit was the sound advice given both during and after the engagement. By identifying vulnerabilities promptly, accompanied with practical recommendations on how to address them. We were able to implement improvements quickly. Good value, a job well done.”
JM, Infosec Analyst, International Investment Bank
"We engaged with commissum for the first time this year and found them highly professional and a pleasure to do business with. We were particularly pleased with the report provided which was of excellent quality, with an appropriate level of detail and clarity in its recommendations. I would happily refer others to commissum.”
Mr Billy K, IT Director, National Law Firm
"We are extremely pleased with the work carried out by the commissum team. All of the commissum staff were a pleasure to work with and maintained a high level of professionalism at all times. They were able to provide us with sound advice and guidance to make sure that we got the best value for money from our test and provided excellent communication and recommendations before, during and after the tests. I would strongly recommend commissum to other companies that are looking for peace of mind in relation to their IT security and I can say that we will use commissum again for future testing.”
Chris S, IT Officer - UK Housing Association
"commissum understood exactly what we needed and delivered excellent service on time, and on budget. Why can't all companies be like them!"
Mr Duncan M, Information Security Manager - National Building Society
Get in touch with one of our security consultants today
- No obligation
- Expert advice
- Tailored solutions
"commissum was particularly responsive and the project was well managed under demanding conditions. I was very happy with the technical standard. Very good value for money as well”
Mr Kenneth Y, Head of IT Risk & Compliance, International Retail Bank
"I was very pleased with the work delivered by commissum from start to finish. The quality of reporting was excellent and the consultants very helpful with clear communication throughout the engagement. I would happily recommend commissum to others.”
Ms Louisa L, IT Manager, National Building Society
"commissum provided us with a high quality service. We found the project team helpful and flexible in responding to changes in requirement; the technical staff in particular were excellent. All commitments including deliverable timescales were met and I would have no hesitation in recommending commissum.”
Mr A Moretti, Executive Director for IT Security Risk Management, Global Investment Bank
"From the start the project went very smoothly despite the short notice. commissum maintained excellent communication throughout ........ their flexibility and responsiveness right up to the end of the project was of great value to us.”
Mr Keith H, Senior Business Manager - UK Local Government
