Mobile Devices as a Major Cybersecurity Risk

What is a mobile threat?

Like viruses infect your PC / Laptops in the same way their are variety of security threat that can affect your mobile devices. We can divide these mobile threats into different categories: application-based threats, web-based threats, network-based threats and physical threats.

 Application based threat :

Applications that we download from different sources may contain many types of security issues for your mobile device. That "Malicious Apk" may look fine on download site, but the are specially designed in such a way that you get fooled easily.

These application based threats can further divided into different categories :

Malware : 

Malware applications are designed in such a way that, they cause damage to your mobile devices. They can interpret with internal function of your device and make changes to your call history and send unwanted messages to your contact list.

Spyware :

Spyware's are designed to collect or use private data without your knowledge or approval from your mobile device. Spyware commonly target data which includes phone call history, text messages, user location, browser history, contact list, email, and private photos. This stolen information could be used for identity theft or financial fraud.

Vulnerable applications :

These applications contain flaws which can be exploited for malicious purposes.These applications allow an attacker to access sensitive information, perform undesirable actions, stop a service from functioning correctly, or download apps to your device without your knowledge.

Web-based threats :

Since mobile devices are constantly connected to internet connection and frequently used to access web-services, so attackers target devices through internet as a medium.

 Phishing scams :

 Medium such as email, text messages, Facebook, and Twitter to send you links to websites that are designed to trick you into providing information like passwords or account numbers are considered as phishing scams, often these phishing websites are identical with original bank websites.

Network threats :

Our mobile devices support both cellular network and local wireless networks (WiFi, Bluetooth). Both of these types of networks can host different classes of threats:

 Network exploits :

Attackers take advantage in operating system of our mobile device, once connected they can install malware without our knowledge.

Minor-sniffing:

Intercepting data when it transfer through the air and WIFI between devices, the whole process is known as minor-sniffing. In this current market many websites and applications does not use proper security measures, which gives chance to attackers to attack and breech  our personal security.

Physical threats :

Mobile devices are our daily need and we carry them everywhere with us, so their physical security is also important.

Lost or Stolen Devices are one of the most common cause of mobile threats.Our mobile devices are valuable not only because the hardware (mobile parts )  itself can be re-sold on the black market, but more importantly because of our personal and organization information it may contain.

Written By- Sagar Soni