The low awareness of users and the large amount of personal and confidential information, main motivations of the mafias for this new type of attackThe National Council of Consultants on CyberSecurity (CNCCS) provides you with a guide of good practices to protect your smartphoneThe study (PDF) aims to constitute an x-ray that reflects the current situation of smartphones in terms of security, describing the main threats they face, as well as existing measures to mitigate the associated risks. Mobile devices are no longer simple phones and cannot and should not be treated as such.
Mobile devices have evolved to converge practically in terms of functionalities with personal computers, a fact that translates into a notable increase in the usability of mobile phones in any field. But as a negative note we must highlight an increase in the risks that are associated with them.
The generalization of the offer of flat rates for smartphones has meant a totally vertiginous popularization of these devices, but the problem is that users are not aware of the dangers involved in not having their terminal protected or the amount of personal information that is stored in it. As a consequence of this, the existing mafias have expanded their horizons of action and have included this sector among their objectives. A goal of great growth and high remuneration.
The first malicious code intended for mobile devices appeared in 2004, but since then the attacks have evolved at a dizzying speed until reaching the last one detected a few months ago: ZEUS Man in the Mobile.
"For many years security companies have warned that mobile devices would be the target of most of the attacks that occur today in the PC world, and it was finally in 2010 where we saw the change in the trend. We believe that 2011 will really be the year where attacks on mobile devices will go from being an estimate, to being a reality," says David Barroso, director of S21sec e-crime.
You have to be prepared for future infections as malware creators continuously evolve their techniques and there is no doubt that malware for mobile devices will continue to evolve taking into account that the near future points to an incredible increase in smartphones for all types of operations: mobile as a means of payment, electronic banking, tracking individuals via mobile GPS, advanced social engineering attacks, etc.
"One of the big problems that security professionals have been facing is the mobility of users. Within this mobility, along with laptops, tablets and the like, smartphones are playing an increasingly decisive role. Increasing the security of these devices, from all their points of view -from malware to the protection of stored information, through their management or auditing- is a challenge for any security department, a challenge to face immediately if we want to protect our information and, therefore, our business "says Antonio Villalón, Director of Security of S2 Grupo.
How can users protect their devices?
Limited security awareness of users of these devices and consequent behavior may be the biggest risk factors for smartphones in the short term. It is of great importance to understand that a mobile device of these characteristics is no longer a simple phone and cannot and should not be treated as such.
The CNCCS proposes a series of good practices to help us protect our mobile devices:
Source: National Council of Consultants on CyberSecurity (CNCCS)
