Is your mobile device data as safe as you really think? asks Safe MD Anthony Neary at the online security product retailer.
The recent data breach of TalkTalk has highlighted severe incompetence to one of the UK’s leading internet service providers – a business that should know better. Although the attack wasn’t as bad an initially thought out, it was the third time within a year that TalkTalk have fallen foul of a security breach. By placing its four million customers at risk of data violation, the story has brought personal data security to the forefront of public consciousness.
With over five billion mobile connections across the world every day, over half of Britons claim they have been victims of some form of cybercrime. According to Deloitte, 76pc of the UK population now use a smartphone. Over the last three years mobile and tablet technology has experienced a number of security issues, with the most public being fingerprint technology.
Kevin Mahaffey, owner of mobile security firm Lookout, spoke about an increase in security breaches to mobile devices: “Nearly three-quarters of the 100 IT and security leads surveyed reported that their organisations have experienced a data breach as a result of a mobile security issue.”
According to Mahaffey the reason for mobile data breaches are malware laden apps, security bugs and unsecured Wi-Fi connections. Smartphone technology has now become the number one business must-have allowing access to vast amounts of corporate data. The reality is that this data is vulnerable to attacks. The report carried out by Lookout found that nine out of ten respondents explained that they plan to invest in mobility security over the next year. However, a report by Verizon states that the threat posed by handsets isn’t as great as what was expected. With the introduction of fingerprint scanning technology on Android and Apple devices, personal data security has become essential to any business or individual. It has been suggested by experts that more than half of smartphones will have fingerprint sensors by 2019, which ultimately means that phone makers must improve their device security.
Since the introduction of the technology, hackers have continually managed to find vulnerabilities in Android and Apple software, in order to access a locked device. Following the release of the Galaxy S5 hackers found a number of faults including: A backdoor fingerprint process which could lead to hijacked mobile payments, an issue with scanner authorisation and a trust zone design flaw which could lead to spying.
Mobile technology is still an unknown quantity in terms of security and its technological capabilities. However, both Apple and Android are continually improving security features in order to combat hacking. Although there is no definitive answer to whether a numerical passcode or a fingerprint is safe, device owners have a responsibility to ensure that their phone or tablet is as safe as it can be.
Cyber security expert Anna Boukovskai summed up the complexity of data security and how a change of attitude is needed: “a single computer can try on average 8.2 billion password combinations each second. Only direct and personal experience of cybercrime will trigger a change in attitude and online habits”.
Tips
1.Avoid simple, common passcodes such as ‘0000’ and ‘1234’
2.Turn your Bluetooth off. Whilst it can only reach distances of 10 metres, hackers have found ways of remotely accessing a phone via Bluetooth.
3.Watch your Wi-Fi. Ensure that you connection is strictly password protected. Your data could be at risk if your connection is ‘open’.
4.You could avoid potential dangers by ensuring your device has the latest up-to-date software.
5. Use both a fingerprint scan and a numerical passcode on your handheld device.
6.Avoid jailbreaking your phone unless you fully understand the risks.
