World Cup mobile explosion brings security risks

The approach of the World Cup has driven mobile advertising and applications into a frenzy. The promotional opportunity that the largest sporting event in the world provides is impossible to ignore. But as more and more apps and ads are released for mobile footie, digital security firm Symantec is reminding people that security risks are very real.

What’s the story?

In the last few weeks, plenty of people in the mobile industry have been gearing up for the World Cup. Brands like Castrol and Score Media, world media agencies like AP and Yahoo!, and smaller development and marketing agencies have been using the World Cup to drive their products through mobile. Football fans are expected to use their mobiles to keep up with footie news this year more than ever before, and everyone wants to cash in.

What’s the danger?

Symantec is possibly the largest creator of security software in the world – it’s most famous for it’s Norton AntiVirus product. But despite its traditional focus on software security, Symantec Software Engineer Candid Wüest says the biggest threat comes from actually losing your phone: “all major phone brands that provide access to the Internet carry significant amounts of business and personal information, which, if the device is lost or stolen, can be accessed easily by criminals.”

What can be done?

Apart from basic measures like backing up your personal details and media on a computer, Symantec suggests a basic list of measures you can take to increase security:

• Don’t connect to WiFi hotspots you’ve never seen before. Try to avoid connecting to the net over your mobile when out and about – try to download things like maps and directions from a secure connections before you leave your house.
• Be careful of physical theft – you probably have sensitive data on your phone.
• Don’t be stupid when it comes to social networking- telling people where you’re going and what you’re doing at all times can make it easier to target you.
• Keep bluetooth switched off

See the full list at www.2010netthreat.com

What we think?

When it comes to internet-connected devices, whether it’s a phone, computer, laptop or anything in between, the biggest security risk is the person using it. Scam websites, phishing attacks and the like are targeted at people, not devices. The fact that people use their phones for web browsing less than they do their computers makes them significantly more secure. As Symantec points out, the biggest threat to you comes when someone steals that phone, not when you are using it.

And, frankly, that’s not likely to change. No matter how advanced the security is on a device, it will always have the same flaw – “endpoint security”. In other words, you.