Ease of engagement said to be risk to mobile security

The biggest mobile security threat is how easy it is for users to take part in activities with a high level of risk, such as revealing personal information or downloading malicious programmes.

RSA’s risk and fraud solutions tech director, Mark Crichton, and  Telesign technology officer Charles McColgan spoke at the recent RSA conference, where they delivered a seminar on the actual cost of cyber crime and fraud with regard to mobiles.

Crichton said the following to SCMagazineUK.com:

“The more you can do on them and the more convenient you can make it, I will do it. I think that opens us up to all the data, systems, whatever it might be – and that’s the biggest risk to security.”

He went on to say that when mobile phones were used exclusively for text messages and phone calls, the threat to security was minimal.

Users can download an app that seems innocent enough on the surface and, without their knowledge, give that app access and permission for other features to be installed on the device. This in turn can see the phone become its owner’s worst enemy.

Applications and submitting personal details are risks not only on mobile phones, but also on any device that provides access to the web. Users can cause themselves problems, but even more so to businesses if they are using work-owned devices. That’s why it is imperative for business owners to ensure that they make cyber security jobs available to professionals who can thwart such actions, and be on hand to resolve any issues that may come up.