Smartphone Security Issues Essay

Police being able to search your phone without is warrant is a violation of privacy and the fourth amendment. This is an ongoing issue that is currently in the Supreme Court and state courts, which have split opinions on the issue. The courts are having a lot of trouble grasping what to compare a cell phone to as far as searching it. A big case that they are comparing searching cell phones to is over 40 years old and it involves a police officer searching through a cigarette box and finding drugs. A judge in the 9th circuit against warrantless search debunked the cigarette box comparison by saying phones are more like a suitcase, except the suitcase contains everything that you have ever traveled with in your entire life,

Smart phones have become a major part of daily life. They allow people all around the world to communicate with each other instantly. Smart phones enable people to access all the information they need in mere seconds using the Internet. Most people go about their days without any worry while using their smart phones. Smart phones have been a tool by the public for many years now, but they have also been used as a tool for something a little more nefarious.

“More than three billion people worldwide now use the internet (Time), and 80 percent of them access if from their smartphones” (Smart Insights). A smartphone is a mobile phone that performs many of the functions of a computer, typically having a touchscreen interface, and much more. There is an abundant amount of smartphone brands out there in the world and while they all cost different prices, they all perform the same job. Each person uses their smartphone for various reasons, whether it’s for work or to make calls or texts. Smartphones have changed society in various ways, both good and bad. Although countless individuals think that smartphones have ruined American society, smartphones have actually benefited society because of more safety precautions, information on hand, and entertainment.

An estimated 91% of American adults own or have used cell phones. (#8) When people buy cell phones, most of the time they have to sign a contract or read terms and conditions. When the phone is purchased it likely has a good amount of the person’s information on it, and is used for social networking and communicating with others. When the person buying the phone accepts the terms and conditions, they basically sign their privacy rights away. Sure not anyone can come up to them and go through their phone, but the phone company can access their info if the right was slipped in the terms and conditions, and there isn’t really anything stopping them from doing that. (#11) So people can complain that their privacy is gone, but they did sign away their right with greed. Although a cell phone has almost become a need in today’s society, it is still only viewed as a want. Therefore, no one has to purchase a cell phone. There aren’t really any laws saying that the

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.

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)

Cell Phones are now a part of our everyday life. This is a fact for just about every modern American. We use them to capture family moments, schedule appointments, handle finances, and listen to our favorite bands. We have all this information on our cell phones, and companies like Apple and Google are fighting to keep this information secure from prying eyes.

Many companies in United States and around the world have started to worry about the iPhone usage and how much they are becoming dependent by organizations in order to conduct their business. Landman (2010) stated, “The threat from accidental or malicious misuse by employees is a significant threat to business” (p. 14). For this reason, using an iPhone in the workplace is putting companies on alert because the owner of the iPhone can store volatile information about their place where they work. Any information about the company such as e-mails, photos, and other digital evidence used in the work place could be sent to their competitors and used against the company itself and these are real life dangers in the corporate world.

This article takes account of the security concerns in the early 2000s and states that it’s a reality. Provides a “long-range outlook” to mobile technology makers in designing future mobile devices. Concepts can be used in future security frameworks.

Security issues with wireless technology also continues to rise, 50% of smartphones were returned even though all of them contained owner contact information, and 75% of smartphones owners do not password protect their phones (2012 Info-graphic Highlights).

On June 29, 2007, Apple Inc. launched sales of the iPhone at Apple and AT&T stores across the country. Many hours earlier, enthusiastic customers lined up outside stores to get the first iPhone in their hands. The iPhone is more than just a breakthrough mobile-phone device. It is a strategy that may expand Apple's sphere of influence. Apple elegantly combined a mobile phone, mp3 player, and personal digital assistant (PDA) on the same machine characterized by its unique, innovative design.

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

Thesis; Along with the efficiency mobile devices render, come along its risks, in which raises substantial security and privacy concerns. It’s important to be aware of the possible threats a mobile can have, along with knowing what and how to secure information, as well as trying to prevent threats from happening.

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.

Pew (2017) examined the change in ownership of smartphones over time in the United States, the relationship to owning other mobile devices, and the prevalence of smartphone dependency. American are increasingly connected to the “digital” world via smartphones and other mobile devices. According to Pew research surveys in 2017 over 95% of Americans own a cellphone of some kind while 77% own and operate a smartphone. The percentage of smartphone ownership has increased tremendously compared to the first survey conducted in 2011, where only 35% of Americans had a smartphone. Smartphone ownership also exhibits a wide variation based on age, household income and educational attainment while maintaining a correlation with ownership of other mobile devices.