Security Risk Associated with Mobile Devices

We consider the situation where an attacker is already in possession of the smartphone. This scenario is common because the user might forget her smartphone somewhere, i.e., in her office, canteen, etc., or an attacker manages to steal the smartphone (e.g., through pickpocketing, etc). More specifically, we target three scenarios: (i) an attacker accidentally finds the smartphone, (ii) the attacker is victim's friend or colleague (who knows about the implemented mechanism), and (iii) an attacker who tries to mimic the user behaviors (e.g., using recorded video, etc) to unlock the victim's smartphone.

With the rapid increase in the number of attempted breaches and resulting damages, there is an increased need for user authentication, especially with numerous unknown mobile devices with which consumers are using to access to IT resources.

This article gives a synopsis of threats to the mobile devices and the data existing in them and the available defenses. It classifies seven different types of threats on mobile devices and then it discusses about the precautions that can be taken to avoid these threats. It recommends how to prioritize the different threats and defenses.

Phishing is an attempt to acquire personal information by masquerading as a trustworthy entity through an electronic communication. [ Compl. ¶ 28, ECF No. 1.]

Technologic advances occur at a rapid pace, with new devices coming out at frequent intervals. These new devices are appealing to college students who want to do everything as quickly and easily as possible. Because of the numerous smartphones, tablets, and laptops used by students and employees, college campuses face various security issues from mobile devices that connect to the network, often unintentionally.

However mobile devices also represent a significant risk to information security and data security as, if the appropriate security applications and procedures are not applied, they can be a conduit for unauthorized access to the Eastern Widgets’ data and IT infrastructure. This can subsequently lead to data leakage and system infection. Eastern Widgets has a requirement to protect its information assets in order to safeguard its customers, intellectual property and reputation. This policy outlines a set of practices and requirements for the safe use of mobile devices.

In the past 12 months, there have been nearly 432 million accounts hacked belonging to many websites and applications. Many of this information stolen was sensitive, personal data such as credit card information, phone numbers, passwords, and even addresses.

This is called phishing when interne users are deceived into divulging their personal information. Malware is when software is downloaded to your computer which collects and transmits personal information. Hacking is illegally accessing computer systems remotely United Nations Office Drugs and Crime). The internet allows people steal and transfer information without meeting or communicating with the person they steal it from. The United States is the leading source of credit card numbers of underground markets. It is estimated that internet identity theft is 1 billion dollars a year.

The authors have organized the article very logically by giving a series of problems that link together can make the smartphone insecure by giving the examples of outside sources: operating system security issues of L. Xing et al., “Unauthorized Cross-App Resource Access on MAC OSX and iOS,”, memory corruption attacks of E. Schwartz et al., “Q: Exploit Hardening Made Easy,”, etc. These logical series can build stronger relationships to the ethos and pathos to make their writing more effective.

New technology has spurred innovative ways to spend money. As mobile payment systems continually develop, consumer financial and personal information risk exposure. Industry officials state the technology is growing, but security specialists argue growth of will inevitably attract fraud. Smartphone owners must treat their phones as a miniature computer and equip proper anti-virus and malware software. Enacting preventative methods will help thwart security breaches over mobile networks. (Ladendorf, 2013)

This case study compares desktop PCs to mobile devices in terms of cyberterrorism. The authors make the conclusion that cybercrimes can be deployed using modern day cellphone through web 2.0 applications. This study solidifies mobile security concerns.

Phones hold critical information such as: addresses, phone numbers, pictures, account information and much more. Mobile phones are considered high risk when it comes to information leakage. According to Forbes , Six of the worlds seven billion people have mobile phones with access to the internet. Cyber attacks can happen at any time and any place, even from the comfort of your own home. Malware, (which is a software that is intended to damage or disable computer systems) is now an easy detection for most computer security

Main Point 1: So, what are the possible threats on mobiles. According to Norton, an anti-malware software, some of the biggest issues in mobile security are related to device loss or device theft. In either case, sensitive corporate information could get into the wrong hands. Another big element of mobile security is preventing malware on mobile devices from attacking corporate systems. Yet another significant part of mobile security involves device data leakage, where mobile device screens can display information that could be captured by unauthorized parties.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the article Cyber Threats to Mobile Phones, phones are now sharing hardware and software similar to a PC and becoming each time more like a PC. Therefore, the risks of being hacked are increasing, allowing hackers to attack mobile devices the same way as if they were doing it with a regular PC. Personal and professional information are more often stored on mobile devices therefore it is imperative to have our data secure. Security solutions for mobile devices are not as broad or high-tech as those for PCs. The majority of mobile security relies on the proper use and smart choices that the user makes on a daily basis to be protected against cyber attacks. Even the most careful person can be attacked but the possibilities of that happening are less when you are proactive.

The advancement in mobile technology that has occurred over the 21st century has certainly provided society with a plethora of benefits. Benefits like reduced cost, increased availability, and the ability to accomplish an increasing amount of tasks on these devices have made mobile technology more accessible and more of an intricate part of our daily lives than it ever was. However, the use of mobile devices has also presented risks that are enough to make the typical user constantly skeptical about how secure these devices are. These risks are extremely evident when it comes to the use of laptops. Laptops are used in all aspects of our lives today; we employ them for personal use as they are beginning to replace desktop Pcs in our homes, we also use them in our work place more often as they provide virtually all the necessities of a desktop computer without restricting our movement. They have even become somewhat of a necessity in our schools. This in essence has exposed all areas of our lives to the risks involved with the use of laptops.