The Reliance on Mobility – Securing The Mobile Future

The mobile transition is essentially complete in Europe. Everyone who wants a smartphone most likely has one at this point, and people who are working are likely to be using these smartphones for business activities. Even if the device they have is not supplied by, or authorised for business use. The use could be as simple as text messaging to work colleagues, or for other business activities if they are tech-savvy. The same is true for the millions of tablet devices in use.

When combined with the mobile devices that organisations supply to staff (smartphones, tablets, laptops), there is a large surface area that needs to be secured to protect business systems, applications, and data. Security for mobile devices and mobile data access is now core to every organisation's security strategy and procedures. Luckily the tools available to ensure that mobile devices are secured are robust and mature. From full platform Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems to tools for specific purposes, many options are available. Renaissance and our network partners are experts in this area and the broader security landscape. We can ensure that any organisation has the best mobile security threat protections in place. Contact us today to discuss your needs or to find out more.

What are some of the threats that relate to mobile devices?

Data Leakage

Most cyber attacks attempt to get access to data. But data can also be compromised inadvertently via data leakage. For example, when an email goes to the wrong external recipient with an attachment that has confidential or sensitive data. This and other forms of data leakage can happen just as easily from mobile devices as it can from traditional PC's. Security tools are available to prevent data leakage from both mobile and desktop devices.

Phishing Attacks

Mobile devices are just as susceptible to phishing emails, and indeed phishing texts via SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp or similar. Targeted spear-phishing that impersonates an executive within the recipients business is often tried via mobile as people sometimes think that receiving a message from a senior executive is more likely to be legitimate on their smartphone. Anti-phishing solutions that include mobile protections are available.

Malware & Ransomware

As with phishing, so with the other common attack methods of malware and ransomware. Mobile devices are capable of being infected with both, or at the very least, helping to spread them on networks. Again mobile protections are available for both.

App Vulnerabilities

The mobile revolution has also resulted in an app revolution. People love apps and will install them from the official app stores for many reasons. Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems can be used to prevent apps from being installed on managed devices, and on personal devices enrolled in Bring Your On Device (BYOD) schemes. But most organisations have found that they need to allow staff to install apps, or at least let them suggest apps that are allowed. Solutions are available to monitor mobile apps on devices to see what they do on the network. This can highlight any suspicious activity that they might do. As an aside, checking apps for any suspicious activity should be done over an extended period. Apple had to remove just under 20 apps from their store last year from a developer who had coded a 2-day delay in malicious activities. This delay was designed to circumvent quick testing for suspicious network activity. (The apps in question were loading web pages and auto-clicking on ads to get pay-per-click revenue for the developer).

Network Threats

Mobile devices are vulnerable to network-based threats just like any other endpoint. From man-in-the-middle attacks on unsafe WiFi networks, through to malicious websites and compromised SSL/TLS certificate attack vectors, the need to protect mobile devices is clear. Solutions that protect both mobile and desktop endpoint devices from network-based threats are available.

Device Vulnerabilities

Devices should be kept as up to date as possible. Operating system security updates are regularly released for recent versions of iOS and Android. It is vital that these are installed. Mobile management and security tools can monitor devices and alert when the latest security software updates are not installed promptly. Similarly, the devices can be monitored for any system-level changes, such as jailbreaking, which pose a significant security risk, both at the operating system level and by allowing apps to be side-loaded from untrusted sources. Devices can be prevented from accessing any business systems if their configuration is not safe.

Conclusion

Securing mobile devices against current and emerging threats is required, but is doable using the tools available. Contact us to find out more.