Category Archives: mobile security
GENBAND launches Innovation Exchange with marquee members to deliver differentiated solutions
Press release
April 30th 2013. GENBAND, a leading developer of multimedia and cloud communications solutions, has announced the launch of the Innovation Exchange (IX), a collaborative business and technology exchange that fosters innovation by bringing to market holistic and vertical solutions that meet demanding customer requirements through the synergies of world-class members. Continue reading
Mocana & VeliQ offer mobile app protection for BYOD
Mocana app security automation added to VeliQ’s mPaaS
In a partnership aimed at protecting mobile apps for BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) installations, Mocana and VeliQ have announced a strategic partnership. They will integrate the Mocana Mobile App Protection (MAP) solution into VeliQ’s mobility Platform as a Service (mPaaS). The objective is to enable enterprise IT managers to secure mobile apps and their data in seconds, without having to write any code. It will be available from VeliQ as the snappily-named ‘Mobi Mobile App Protection by Mocana’, or MAP. The pair claim it will deepen the security offering of the VeliQ cloud-based mobility Platform as a Service (mPaaS) offering. Continue reading
More Brits distrust phones than PCs for secure online data
Rating: Recommendations aren’t good news for retailers targeting mobile
The ‘Trust Factor’ in new mobile platforms like smartphones and tablets is low – new research has just established. It seems that virtually 50 per cent of Brits think that mobile devices are less secure than traditional computers. Which won’t help m-commerce, of course. Integralis, the information security specialists commissioned Vanson Bourne to survey 1,000 Brits in Q1 2013. The survey found that whilst the majority who use smartphones for business admit to installing personal apps, less than half regularly update their smartphone’s security settings. Continue reading
Guest Post: Newest trends in mobile biometric technology
by Robert Coulter, a writer specialising in security
The relentless rise of smartphones – especially in business or professionally oriented areas is making them into rich treasure troves of often highly sensitive data. The result: -a growing and powerful need for intensified mobile security. The market response is to introduce services and products ranging from mobile anti-virus suites to two factor authentication systems. Of all of these, one of the most important to emerge in terms of security strength is mobile biometric technology. Continue reading
Smartphone infections seriously underestimated Lacoon reveals
Rating: Actually more Apple rather than Android devices involved
Popular views of the threat from malicious infections are way out if MDM (mobile device management) specialist, Lacoon Mobile Security is to be believed. One erroneous perception, according to Lacoon, is that Apple devices poses a lesser threat than Android ones. Plus the level of infection seem staggeringly high. The company the conducted a study in partnership with global mobile network providers. It discovered that approximately one in 1,000 smartphones has mRAT (Mobile Remote Access Trojan ) spyware installed. Plus 52 per cent of infected devices were attributed to iOS and 35 per cent to Android-based mobile devices. Given that many BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) roll-outs involve devices numbers in three figures, this means the danger is very high indeed. Continue reading
Guest Post: Fighting fraud in an LTE world
Why mobile operators must be on guard against LTE fraud
by James Stewart, fraud product manager with MACH
Fraud is a major concern for the telecoms sector in these increasingly competitive times. It is global, sophisticated and the US’ FBI estimates that mobile phone crime alone is more lucrative than drug trafficking.1 Meanwhile, the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA) indicates that the annual revenue losses for operators worldwide due to fraud may run as high as $40 billion.2 Far from decreasing fraud, the arrival of LTE services has given fraudsters even more scope to cause harm in both landline and wireless networks. Continue reading
Guest Post: The potential dangers of QR Codes
by Bhavesh Naik , a security researcher with InfoSec Institute
Two (2D) dimensional barcodes, or the better-known, QR codes are beloved by marketers. The original Quick Response (QR) codes were designed for automotive industry in Japan. Now, QR codes have become popular thanks to greater reliability and greater data storage space. Originally intended for industrial purposes, QR codes has gained particular popularity with advertising industry. QR codes can be used in conjunction with iOS or Android devices as well as the third party applications like Google ‘Goggles’. But there are hidden dangers. Continue reading
UK’s CESG/GCHQ adamantly denies failing BB10
Rating: Security body says we haven’t evaluated that platform yet
GoMo News carried a story yesterday [March 20th 2013] from The Guardian newspaper implying that the UK’s Computer Experts Security Group (CESG) – obviously part of GCHQ, had failed BlackBerry’s latest version of its OS (BB10) over security worries. BlackBerry has subsequently provided us with a major denial from a GCHQ spokesperson saying that no such review has been performed yet. Obviously it is hard for GoMo News to check the validity of such stories because the ‘spooks’ don’t exactly participate in cosy banter with journalists. Continue reading
The hipKey could save your valuables at MWC 2013
Rating: Bluetooth powered, location-aware alarm for iOS
As the cellular industry’s premier event, over 70,000 people are expected to descend on Barcelona for Mobile World Congress from Monday 25th February [2013]. Unfortunately attendees stick out like sore thumbs from other visitors to the Catalan capital. Most are wearing suits; carrying laptop bags (or a bag with the MWC logo on it); and some even forget to take their badges off outside the exhibition centre. Hence, many will be victims of street crime including the theft of bags [pocketbooks], wallets and, of course, mobile phones. For owners of Apple smartphones or tablets, Danish company hippih has the answer – the hipkey. Basically, it is a Bluetooth powered, location-aware alarm for iOS devices. Continue reading
Jumio’s Netverify uses cameraphones to verify customer ID
Rating: Helping to combat predicted rise in mobile fraud
Here’s an interesting development from Jumio which should help speed up mobile transactions as well as combat fraud. Netverify Mobile enables businesses to authenticate their customers’ identities using IOS or Android cameraphone. The system can verify via passport, driver license or ID card in more than 60 countries. Jumio points to research from recent Gartner report estimates that fraud will account for 1.5 per cent of all mobile transactions in the next four to five years. Hence the pressing need to verify customers’ IDs. Continue reading
Don’t click on this
Rating: We suspect that soemthing nasty lurks behind this URL
GoMobile News received a comment from a reader whcih on the surface of it looked genuine. Then alarm bells began to ring because the ‘comment’ had very little to do with the story it was posted against. When we tried the URL our own personal (Windows based) PC and our anti-virus software went beserk. So we are publishing this as a warning to others. It supposedly is an iOS app. Continue reading
Guest Post: mSpy mobile app is the ultimate in mobile phone spying
by Kate Pirs, marketing manager with mSpy
mSpy is highly unusual because it is one of the few leading apps which doesn’t use the official app stores
Our mSpy mobile phone spyware app is a helpful tool which I believe allows you to achieve things that would normally be beyond your grasp – namely to track phone calls; view SMS messages; and find out the location of your phone via GPS. I feeel such functionality makes the mSpy software one of the best mobile apps of its genre in the market today. The designers of this mobile phone spying app have worked hard to make it compatible with most popular mobile operational systems. So, if your phone is powered by Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, windows mobile or even Symbian, you can safely install this app. The list of brands compatible with mSpy includes: – Dell, Toshiba, Siemens, Lenovo, Sharp, Acer, Asus, Panasonic, Philips, NEC, plus many others. Continue reading
Guest Post: A look at anti-virus apps on smartphones
by Kaito Mori a blogger who works with Trend Micro
Computer viruses are, unfortunately, a typical problem that people deal with regularly. But you use your smartphone for everything so you don’t have to worry, right? Wrong. With so many people using their smartphones as their primary internet browsing device, malicious software (malware) has been transformed to infiltrate and retrieve sensitive information stored on mobile devices. Before I discuss how to protect your phone, let’s take a look back at the evolution of mobile malware. Continue reading
Sun highlights need for real time fraud protection
Rating: Scare story could hinder sales of data roaming packages
Under the headline ‘Network cashing in on crime’, the British newspaper – the Sun on Sunday wrote an article which could seriously scare ordinary folk away from taking their mobile phone with them on holiday. Which could damage mobile operators’ efforts to sell custom data roaming packages to their subscribers – especially business folk. With MWC 2013 fast approaching, this story could also have implications for attendees too. The crux of the issue is that network operators continue to charge subscribers for calls made after a phone has been stolen and until the theft is reported. Continue reading
Biggest challenge for BYOD is data security not phishing
Rating: Hospital recommends TigerText for doctors
Responding to a recent opinion piece from SpamTitan here, hospital professional, Trinity Shravner has written in to warn of the security dangers from BYOD, Trinty says, “I agree that in 2013 that social media will be the platform of choice for phishing attacks, but I think one of the biggest BYOD challenges will be data security and device control. Continue reading
