Community
As more online retailers introduce mobile ecommerce applications, criminal hackers are taking notice. Existing mobile operating systems are under attack and, like standard PC operating systems, they sometimes fail to provide the necessary security to support a payment application.
Current research is primarily geared towards securing mobile payments, but there is a lack of coordination between mobile payment developers, device manufacturers, and mobile operating system platform developers. Hackers are taking advantage of the loophole created by this lack of coordination.
Mobile phone spyware has been a concern for years. Legitimate software companies sell mobile phone spyware that allows the user to monitor a spouse, kids, or employees. And criminals deploy mobile phone spyware, as well.
Beijing-based mobile security services firm NetQin Technology reports that an application called Xwodi, which allows third parties to eavesdrop on cell phone conversations, has infected more than 150,000 phones in China. Apparently, the malware targets mobiles running the Symbian platform, and monitors phones by silently activating the conference call feature or microphone.
One security company, Trusteer, informed The New York Times, “Mobile users are three times more likely to fall for phishing scams than PC users…because mobile devices are activated all the time, and small-screen formatting makes the fraud more difficult to spot.” In the same article, another mobile security firm, Lookout, claimed that in May 2010, 9 out of 100 phones scanned for malware and spyware were infected. That’s up from 4 out of 100 infected phones in December 2009.
Protect yourself by refraining from clicking links in text messages, emails, or unfamiliar webpages displayed on your phone’s browser. Set your mobile phone to lock automatically and unlock only when you enter a PIN. Consider investing a service that locates a lost phone, locks it, and if necessary, wipes the data, as well as restoring that data on a new phone. Keep your phone’s operating system updated with the latest patches, and invest in antivirus protection for your phone.
This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author.
Sergiy Fitsak Managing Director, Fintech Expert at Softjourn
14 August
Mete Feridun Chair at EMU Centre for Financial Regulation and Risk
Oleksandr Strozhemin Co-founder and CEO at Trinetix
13 August
Elaine Mullan Head of Marketing and Business Development at Corlytics
12 August
Welcome to Finextra. We use cookies to help us to deliver our services. You may change your preferences at our Cookie Centre.
Please read our Privacy Policy.