Category Archives: mobile security
More smartphones in the workplace means more security risks
If your employees need to check their email or access basic internet in the field, which is more cost effective; a laptop or a smartphone? Businesses all over the world are investing in company smartphones for a mobile workforce, but information coming from various sources points to the increase of these devices as a security risk for companies whose IT departments aren’t fully prepared. Continue reading
GoMo News victim of text/SMS spam
Rating: News about UK payment protection wasn’t from us
We’re currently not sure how it happened or how extensive the problem is but this GoMo News hack’s handset (on Orange) appears to have generated spam. A text message was received by some-one in our phonebook at 8.13 am this morning. But we didn’t generate it ourselves. Continue reading
Untenable tirade @ smartphone data insecurity
Rating: Radware advocates moving data to leakiest of devices
It’s unclear what plante some supposed industry experts are living on when they launch attacks on the supposed insecurity of data held on smartphone devices. Amir Peles, CTO with Radware suggests moving confidential and personal information “as quickly as possible to a laptop or PC with proper encryption and security measures.” This is in complete contrast to real world experiences where laptops with highly sensitive data go missing on a regular basis. Those offering mobile security apps aren’t going to be too happy about his comments, either. Continue reading
Security fears are the biggest thing holding mobile payments back
Canadian mobile company Mobio has released a study into mobile payments – 1,085 people from “the general North American population” responded, and gave the impression that the most important factor holding mobile payments back was security. Continue reading
Google under fire over malware in Market
Rating: More evidence of shoddy treatment of app developers
The wires have gone crazy with the news that more than 50 malicious apps have been sitting in the Android Market. They are apparently infected with malware identified by Trend Micro as ANDROIDOS_LOTOOR.A. More details here. The most disturbing thing is that Google’s attention was only drawn to the problem when it read a blog posted by reddit contributor, lompolo, here. Google’s apparent distain for its own developer community is highlighted for the second time today. (See our Android Union story here). According to Trend Micro’s blog (written by Trend’s security guru Rik Ferguson) here, one developer had done his/her best to draw Google’s attention to the problem days before. Continue reading
Piracy & Malware go hand-in-hand
Rating: Lookout hightlights dangers from alternative app stores
The latest Android malware discovered by Lookout Mobile Security – known as HongTouTou or the ADRD Trojan, highlights the strong link between viruses and pirated software. The Trojan has been spotted in Chinese language app stores. It infects apps such as RoboDefense (a well known game) and a variety of wallpaper apps. That game is, of course, pirated as can be as many as 85 per cent of apps in alternative app stores. The virus can only affect Android users who have ticked the setting which enables them to install third party apps as opposed to install only from trusted parties. Continue reading
Motorola tilts @ RIM with 3LM acquisition
Rating: Intends to sell Android apps to rivals
Motorola Mobility (the bit that still handles handsets) has just revealed that it has acquired 3LM (Three Laws Mobility). 3LM has developed Android apps which aim to provide enterprises with security and mobile device management software. This is exactly the kind of stuff you need to sell to major corporations and government bodies. It “addresses ease-of-use, cost-of-management and security concerns for IT managers and CIOs.” So just like RIM eased IBM out the door with its BlackBerry dedicated email devices, Motorola hopes to ease RIM out the door via Android based apps. The subtle difference is that Motorola isn’t going to makes these apps exclusive to itself. It fully intends to sell 3LM based products to rival manufacturers. Continue reading
Revenue loss frequently swept under carpet
Rating: Plus advice on stopping your phone being ‘hacked’
By sheer co-incidence, GoMo News recently stumbled across an old business associate – Dilip Mistry. He’s now at Revector and helping mobile network operators battle a form of revenue loss which has previously been swept under the carpet. His company estimates that ‘illegal call termination’ is costing network operators $150 million a year. The fraud is also known as ‘GSM Gateway’ or ‘SIM box’ fraud. Naturally, Revector has a solution. And talking of frauds, GoMo News has some useful advice for UK celebrities whose mobile phones were ‘hacked’. Continue reading
Nokia tie-up increases mobile malware risks
Rating: AVG highlights problem of untrusted apps
It’s the kind of side-effect that Nokia probably didn’t expect when it decided to leap into bed with Microsoft. All of a sudden the anti-virus people have spotted a whole new market opportunity. And so will the hackers who hadn’t show much interest in creating viruses which ran on Symbian, anyway. Now that millions of Nokia phones will be running Windows – hey, what an opportunity. So it is incredibly timely that AVG – best known for its absolutely free Windows anti-virus and security offering – has commissioned a study from the Ponemon Institute. Although a sample of just 734 US based over 18 year olds is a bit suspect. Did you bother to ask any women, we wonder? Continue reading
Geinimi Android Trojan found in China
Rating: what you want is reputable anti-virus software
In an obvious attempt to pump up its anti-virus software, mobile specialist – Lookout – has just blogged about, “The most sophisticated Android malware it’s seen to date.” The problem in question is a Trojan that has recently emerged in China, called ‘Geinimi’, and which affects Android devices. It’s not as dangerous as it sounds because the Trojan is buried in games which have been downloaded from sites other than the Android Market. Continue reading
Don’t lose your mobile phone in unsocialable hours
Rating: Epsom woman has nightmare experience with Carphone
A young woman was reduced to tears by staff at the Epsom branch of the Carphone Warehouse when her handset was stolen in a nightclub. The staff at Epsom Carphone Warehouse demanded to know why she hadn’t visited Epsom police station within 48 hours of losing her mobile phone in the early hours of Saturday morning? The best bit is when GoMo News sent a request for comment to the Carphone Warehouse late on Friday, they took until the following Wednesday. Which is exactly how long it took to get a report from the police about the stolen handset. Continue reading
Dangerous SMS exploits revealed
Rating: Germans show how Android OS is vulnerable
Dangerous stuff this. It seems that two German researchers – Collin Mulliner and Nico Golde – have decided to go public with the news that the majority of mobile phones – and featurephones in particular -are vulnerable to attacks via SMS. This news was revealed in a talk to the infamous Chaos Computer Club Congress in Berlin. It included the mention of the so-called ‘SMS of Death’. The pair work at the Technical University in Berlin. However, Mulliner has links to Charlie Miller of Security Evaluators and Charlie is acknowledged as proving there are exploits in the Android OS which leave handsets vulnerable. Continue reading
Smartphones to make up more than half of Asia’s phone sales by 2015
Review: Driving the cost of smartphones down, and carrier revenues up, but ignoring the feature phone market would be premature to say the least Continue reading
The best defense against smartphone malware is to just be careful
Digital security company Symantec has released details of a very interesting little Android application. This year has seen paranoia concerning the security of Android apps blossoming (the recent wallpaper app scare, for example). Today’s example is an app that regularly reports on your location without your knowledge. This is regarded as “very low” risk, and really shows how many mobile dangers you can avoid by being vigilant. Continue reading
The Middle East’s spat with RIM is unwinnable
Rating: No thanks we won’t reveal our encryption keys
The dispute between Middle Eastern authorities and mobile email hardware specialist Research In Motion [ RIM ], appears to have got out of hand. The ME luminaries are upset that they can’t examine emails sent by BlackBerries firstly because they are encrypted and secondly because the messages pass through overseas servers. The spat has echoes of early Internet days, however. Continue reading
