A Look at the Mobile Devices and Mobile Security

Mobile devices have continued to rise in their popularity, and the adoption rates are extremely high. This arises from the fact that mobile communication has become an everyday affair. For many people, leading a life without a mobile phone would be nearly impossible for many of us to tolerate. Our lives are dependent on the devices for so many things besides the major advantage of providing a means of communication with people. Again the continued rise in the level of adoption of devices has been accompanied by sophistication in the devices and their models and the level of functionality achievable with the devices.

There are now the smartphones and the tablets based on various different platforms dependent on the manufacturer. This has expanded the functionality that can be achieved with the mobile phones to unimaginable levels, and this is continuing with more and more pieces getting added to the devices. The smartphones and the tablets accompany users everywhere and anywhere they go and in everything that they do. The mobiles phones are now accessing the internet at great speeds and with very large capability helping users to access data and even manipulate the data. With such capability the mobile phones and devices are adding a whole different angle to the equation that is IT security. The devices have been a very big risk and this has to do with the fact that people are able to access a whole bulk of resources from their phones. The mobile devices are in themselves a threat to the data that is stored in them and to the networks in which they are a part of.

In a manner similar to the way people take some comprehensive steps to secure their computers, the mobile devices should be secured. This arises from the fact that the information and data accessed and contained in them includes personal and private data, photos and contacts, and even data and security details belonging to financial accounts and other online businesses. The devices, being the lifeline that they have become, require protection to manage and avert the risks and threats out there. A look at the steps to put in place to ensure that mobile security is guaranteed will be helpful for many users of the mobile devices.

The very first step has to be that of finding the devices which has the best or above average security features when compared to other devices in the market. This mitigates the risks out there and security features are different dependent on the manufacturer and the targeted clientele with the specific device. A major threat to the security of the mobile devices are the third party application which may come with attached scripts by cyber criminals whose intention of get control over your device. Therefore, go for the signed third party apps to be sure of their authenticity and also limit the level to which the other people can arbitrarily install these third party apps and inadvertently gain control to your device and further on to the business or corporate network.

For purposes of accessing internet through any of the mobile devices, it is important to guarantee security through the enabling of encryption and authentication. Encryption is possible with the devices that have been manufactured with strong security controls and are there to be used. It is only in this way that any user will be assured of the security of any sensitive information access from the device. Authentication on the other hand will boost security with smartphones and the tablets especially if the device is lost or falls into the wrong hands. This also ensures that information will not fall into the hands of criminals or just any other person. And it is still on this point that the use of the Remote Wipe Capabilities suffices so that in the event that the device is stolen then the users of the device is in a position to remotely access and disable the devices in the occasion that the devices are lost or stolen.

These mentioned are only a few measures which form only the basic steps to undertake towards strengthening the security of the mobile experience.

Fortunately, there are companies out there committed to providing the IT security for computer based interfaces as well as mobile security solutions for mobile devices, like Guardian Network Solutions. GNS is a value added reseller of IT solutions for small businesses and home users. Sometimes, it just takes investment in simple, automated software or hardware solutions to prevent work stoppage, data loss, and fraud attributable to cyber-attacks, and GNS is committed to providing the most affordable options tailored specifically for each aspect of IT security.

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Cyber-crime Goes Social and Mobile

'Cyber-crime', a word most of us know; but a better clarification on the same is good before we begin. Cyber-crime holds a broad array of activities or incidents, some of which include computer viruses or malicious software, forging, spoofed/fake email or website which captures personal details, online bullying/ stalking, hate crime or other form of online harassment, hacking into personal profile/account, scams, online credit card fraud, identity theft, an unsolicited SMS text messages, and so on.

As above, Cyber-crime can be anything, which includes data theft or breach, without the owner's permission. As consumers go mobile, so do criminals. Hence, compared to the earlier attempts of cyber-crime over Desktops, now attackers are more oriented on mobile and social networking. A mixture of socially engineered and blended attacks is what attackers are now using.

Cyber-crime over Mobile device
News like 'iPhone 5 Pre-Orders Top Two Million in First 24 Hours' displays how indispensable mobile devices have become for us today. According to the '2012 Norton Cyber-crime Report', every 2 of 3 adult uses a mobile device to connect to the internet today. The increase on mobile usage is also realized by the Cyber-criminals.

The bait that attracts cyber-criminals is not the vast usage of mobiles but also the numerous hidden vulnerabilities in them. Mobile vulnerabilities doubled in 2011 over 2010. That in itself is alarming. But apart from these facts, the matter to worry more is the fact that 44% people aren't even aware that security solutions exist for mobile devices. Every 2 out of 3 persons don't have security for their mobile devices. Using unsecured Wi-Fi connections is yet another source of vulnerabilities.

Socially engineered Cyber-crime
Apart from Mobile, with increasing usage of social media, cyber-criminals are also going social now. Figures say that, every 4 people out of 10 people have been a victim of cyber crime through social sites. While some complain their accounts have been hacked, others are concerned about their accounts being eyed upon. Apart from this, 1/3rd of the population using social networking sites have fallen victim to the scams on such sites.

The major reasons behind most attacks through social platforms are:

1/3rd of the users don't log out from one session1/5th among the users don't check the link before clicking on it1/6th people aren't aware about their privacy settings, and lastlyLess than half don't use any security measures to protect their accounts.

Apart from these issues, 36% users accept friend requests from strangers, increasing their vulnerabilities.

What can be done?
Social sites are taking a toll on our personal lives. Numbers say 16% would end a relationship, as a reason of something they didn't like about the person online. Hence being on your marks and taking measures to ensure good privacy settings is helpful. Measures like deleting suspicious mails/comments/links, use a basic anti-virus, avoid opening attachments from unknown senders, and so on; can be highly useful.

Take pro-active steps to secure you personal data online. If you won't; no one would. If something is too good to believe, then you may be right; I am talking about advertisements and applications appearing on social sites, which trick users, with lucrative statements and promises. Be on your guard by staying informed. Use strong passwords, and make it a habit to change them often. Efforts taken by you to protect your data will surely increase the difficulty levels for criminals to attack you. Fear of attacks should never deprive anyone of the huge benefits of using internet through mobile devices and networking socially. Hence ensure security measures and reap the benefits to your fullest.

Note: Majority of figures/statistics used in this article are from 2012 Norton Cybercrime Report

Talking about solutions, to such Cyber-crime attacks, Cyberoam Unified Threat Management appliances offer comprehensive security to small, medium and large enterprises through multiple security features integrated over a single platform. It is the first UTM that embeds user identity in the firewall rule matching criteria, offering instant visibility and proactive controls over security breaches and eliminating dependence on IP Addresses. Its, Layer 8 [Identity-based security] Technology platform makes security simple, yet highly effective. Cyberoam, with its Extensible Security Architecture (ESA) and multi-core technology carries the ability to combat future threats for organizations' security. To read more about Cyberoam and the solutions it offers, visit http://www.cyberoam.com/

Also you may subscribe to Cyberoam Blog, for more news and updates on Cyber-crime, recent attacks and more.

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Benefits Of Having Penetration Testing Services For Best Mobile Application Security

Any organization that depends on information security protocol will have to make sure that their data and information is not breached and remains safe for client and consumer benefits. Since nowadays, almost every company is having a requirement of information technology software, it is important for them to incorporate high standards of security for their IT infrastructure. This can be done through the penetration testing services which will let the companies know about the vulnerabilities and weaknesses in their system. These services can also be applied for mobile application security, which is currently one of the major forms of software development network in the entire world.

Mobile application development is a feature that is perhaps associated with almost all the IT companies, with some of them having high end infrastructure for the purpose. For these companies, the installation of penetration testing services is a big requirement as well as very essential as the testing will be the basic step towards a strong IT solution. When the proper mobile application security is maintained by penetration testing by experts, companies stand to gain a few benefits.

1. The first and foremost benefit that the application development companies get is the identification of the threats that face the organisation's information assets. As a part of the software development life cycle, the identification of the vulnerabilities will be necessary so that the security systems are strengthened at the development process itself. Experts who are dealing with the mobile application security are therefore inducting the penetration testing services for the best results. Although the penetration testing methodology is one of the oldest methods to know about the security threats, it is also the surest means to do so.

2. Reduction in the IT security cost is possible by the methods of penetration testing services. Firstly, checking for threats means there is less chance of future breaches, which means there will be less expenditure on correctional measures. Secondly, when the services are hired, the companies which have specialised in the mobile application security systems will go through all the possible measures to know the possible threats. This means that individual servers or computers are not to be checked again and again for the possible vulnerabilities. When there is reduction in the cost of the security instalments, there will be an automatic increase in the return on investments. This ROI is also increased because the companies providing the penetration testing services go for checking all the parameters and places in the network.

3. Certifications of various standard industrial security checks can be received by involving experts in penetration testing services. Compliance with regulations from standard certification agencies such as HIPAA, ISO 27001, PCI, etc becomes possible if the testing services are implemented properly by the companies. Once these certifications are received, there is an increased sense of trust among the clients who are aiming to do business with the IT companies. Another benefit of receiving the industry certifications is that the company which is having a proper mobile application security becomes recognised among the users and the application providers.

Having mobile application security is one of the important aspects of application developers and they will have to maintain a secure system for their companies by getting the penetration testing services. There are plenty of benefits of doing so and these can be entertained if the companies are aware of and bring into their fold, secure network in their IT infrastructure.

Torrid Networks is a global leader in end-to-end information security management services. Company is a CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team - India) empaneled security auditor under the Ministry of Information Technology of India. To get a free Quote on penetration testing or information security kindly visit- Torrid Networks

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