Posted by - December 12, 2018

As the number of employees accessing company data from their smartphones continues to grow, mobile threats are becoming greater concerns for businesses and organizations. Thankfully, the inherent protections that are built into mobile operating systems have been able to keep mobile devices malware-free for the most part up to this point. However, there are other security hazards that businesses should be concerned about that could become increasingly more prevalent in the near future. A recent article from itnews.com covers the mobile security hazards that are expected to be the most problematic in the upcoming year.

  1. Data Leakage- This commonly occurs when users download apps and allow them access to unnecessary information. Individuals should take care while deciding on whether to allow apps access to their information, especially when users contain sensitive business information on their mobile device. To combat this issue, educate your employees on the threats and consequences of data leakage and consider using mobile threat defense solutions products that can be used to scan apps for “leaky behavior.”
  2. Phishing Attacks– Mobile users are three times more susceptible to phishing attacks because the emails generally show only the senders name which makes it easier for cyber criminals to pretend to be someone they’re not. Phishing attacks can best be prevented by raising employee awareness and by conducting internal phishing tests.
  3. Cryptojacking– This form of cyberattack has found its way into mobile devices in late 2017 and early 2018 and is expected to continue to be an issue. Cryptojacking attacks on mobile devices have commonly been carried out via malicious mobile websites or downloaded third-party apps and cause devices to run slower, overheat, and have a shorter battery life. The best way to avoid cryptojacking attacks is to be make sure you only visit legitimate websites and download legitimate apps.
  4. Careless Use of Devices in Public – An alarmingly high number of people (roughly 25%) using corporate mobile devices regularly connect to open and insecure WiFi networks. This gives hackers easy access to sensitive corporate data which obviously puts your organization at risk. Employees also commonly lose or leave devices unattended which for obvious reasons poses a major security risk if the device isn’t password protected and fully encrypted.
  5. Lack of Patching and Old Devices- Finally, one of the most careless mistakes people continue to make is not regularly updating their devices. Security updates are essential in the prevention of cyber criminals accessing data and are very easy to perform. Some older devices may not offer updates which makes them more vulnerable than newer devices. Therefore, if employees are using mobile devices for work they should be sure they are kept up to date.

Mobile devices are rapidly becoming more intertwined with business functions, and along with becoming more intertwined comes potential threats. If you have any questions about safe mobile practices for your organization, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 703-790-0400, send us an email at info@optfinity.com or visit us on our website at www.optfinity.com.

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