4 Best Strategies to Protect You and Your Organization from Mobile Security Threats this 2015
Mobile security is a serious issue that is oftentimes ignored by millions of mobile device owners. Based on the survey conducted by PwC, in 2014, global organizations faced 117,339 incoming attacks on information security each day. Software analysts pointed out that the five major causes of these attacks are cybercrimes, poor compliance to privacy and regulations, threats from third party providers, BYOD trends in the workplace, and lack of sufficient knowledge on information security of people inside the organization.
Smartphones, tablets, and mobile accessories such as memory cards and portable hotspots are all vulnerable to malware and phishing attacks. Mobile apps that we download and use are not only prone to viruses and trojans attacks, they are also potential carriers of spywares. As we are always connected to the internet and Wi-Fi networks, eavesdropping can potentially expose our personal identity to cybercriminals and thefts. With the increasing popularity of mobile wallets, NFC-capable POS systems are now the new target of hackers. Through mobile browsers, our access to ecommerce sites - where we share our credit card information during registration and checkout process - can also expose us to data hacks.
As mobile computing technology becomes better, hackers and cybercriminals, on one hand, become smarter. The cyberattack on Sony Pictures is still fresh to our minds. The cyberattack on eBay that compromised the passwords and usernames of more than 233 million users still bites into our nerves up to these days.
Despite our smartphones are just tiny pieces of memory device when compared to datacenters of multi-billion dollar companies, we always need to protect our data, identity and availability from those thieves and professional hackers.
Here the four best mobile security strategies that can save you, your company and your device – from minor security breaches or even major cyberattacks – this 2015.
1. Become self-critical.
Our mobile phones are equipped with security and privacy features. These are available under the Settings menu. Our mobile browsers also have privacy and security settings that we can always visit to clear cookies or delete browsing history. The apps we download can be scanned first before we initiate the installation. Our ultimate weapon against security threats is by becoming self-aware of the capability of our devices and of what we can do to prevent security issues from occurring.
2. Survey the market.
There are thousands of security software available online. We should research which really works and which only increases our data usage. We can start our search from software review sites to check which antiphishing, antispam, antispyware, and antivirus are highly preferred by users. Next, we should verify from the software provider’s website the full features and functionality of the software. Lastly, we can explore the app stores and from there, we can weigh-in which mobile security software can really provide the maximum protection.
3. Experiment on the free.
McAfee, Norton, AVG and Kaspersky, four of the top mobile security app makers, are all offering free versions of their products. There is no harm if we experiment on their freeware. These companies have proven track-records in the software business and their apps will not threaten our devices. Kaspersky offers free internet security software for Android. Norton has free mobile security pack with powerful features. AVG offers free advanced security for storing and syncing your private data. Test their capabilities on your mobile device. You can upgrade anytime.
4. Invest on Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution.
The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement keeps on growing across businesses worldwide. Multi-OS, different browsers, wide-ranging applications, and ever-changing software version can all bring security threats to your company’s IT system. Organizations should invest on MDM solutions as part of their 2015 mobile security strategy. With MDM, IT teams can easily configure network policies, manage various devices in a central console, and support BYOD or COPE programs.
