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U2 lab™ - smart tech solutions / cybersecurity
Mobile Security
Protect business and personal data stored on mobile devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets and other similar devices against various malicious threats (e.g. unauthorized access, loss/theft of devices, malware, etc.).
Mobile Security
Strategies, infrastructure and software used to protect any mobile device that travels with users, including smartphones, tablets and laptops.
Its goal is to minimize the risk of asset or data loss through the use of mobile devices and communication hardware.
Includes data protection on the local device, on endpoints connected to the device, and on network equipment.
Importance
The future of computers and communication lies in mobile devices, such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.
Organizations and users have preferred to buy and use them over desktop computers.
Their small size, great processing capacity, operating systems, and numerous applications make them ideal for use from anywhere with an internet connection.
Mobile devices have become more affordable and portable.
The wireless internet access characteristic of mobile devices makes them more vulnerable to attacks and data breaches.
Mobile authentication and authorization makes the process more convenient, but increases risk by removing the limitations of a secure enterprise perimeter.
The new features increase the number of endpoints that need protection against cybersecurity threats.
Mobile devices offer a much larger attack surface than desktop computers, making them a more serious threat to corporate security.
Corporations face much higher costs when creating computer security strategies on mobile devices.
Mobile Security Threats
Physical threats.
Threats to applications.
Network threats.
Web-based threats and endpoints.
Physical Threats
Data loss.
Data theft.
Natural disasters.
Lost data can be recovered.
Data theft is very costly to organizations.
Mobile devices have screen locking mechanisms to prevent data theft after a device is stolen.
The technology must be robust enough to prevent an attacker from accessing the data.
Limited number of attempts to enter a PIN before completely locking your device (stops PIN brute force attacks).
For devices with sensitive data, you should use wiper apps that delete all data from the phone after a few attempts of entering an incorrect PIN on the home screen.
Encrypted storage hard drives prevent attackers from exfiltrating data directly from the device by bypassing the PIN feature.
Threats to Applications
External applications introduce various security problems for mobile devices.
Corporations should create mobile device security policies that help users understand the dangers of installing unapproved external applications.
Users should not be able to "root" or create a "superuser" on their phones.
External applications running on rooted devices can reveal data to a hacker.
External applications may also contain malware programs and "keyloggers" (programs that record the keystrokes a user makes on their keyboard) in their source code.
It is possible to install anti-malware programs, but devices that have been rooted leave even these applications susceptible to malware manipulation.
Network Threats
Mobile work teams, and especially “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) types, can create a threat to the internal network.
Malware can scan the network to open storage locations or vulnerable resources to insert malicious executables and exploit them.
Administrators can force anyone with a BYOD to install anti-malware programs, but this does not guarantee that the software is up to date.
Unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots without a virtual private network (VPN) make mobile devices more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
If the corporation offers public Wi-Fi networks for customers and employees, this may also be a point of concern.
When employees connect to public Wi-Fi networks and transfer their data to places where other users can read it, this leaves the network vulnerable to Man in the Middle (MitM) attacks and possible account takeover, if the attacker steals the credentials.
Web-Based Threats and Endpoints
Mobile applications connect to data and internal applications through “endpoints” or “contact endpoints.”
These endpoints receive and process data, and then return a response to the mobile device.
Endpoints add new threats to organizations.
Endpoints used by the application must be properly encrypted with appropriate authentication controls to stop attackers.
Improperly secured endpoints could be targets for a hacker willing to use them to compromise the application and steal data.
Outdated Operating Systems
Older operating systems (OS) often contain vulnerabilities that have been exploited by cybercriminals.
Devices with outdated operating systems remain vulnerable to attacks.
Manufacturer updates often include critical security patches to address vulnerabilities that can be actively exploited.
Excessive Application Permissions
Mobile apps have the power to compromise data privacy through excessive app permissions.
App permissions determine an app's functionality and access to the user's device and its features, such as the microphone and camera.
Some apps are more dangerous than others.
Some may be compromised and sensitive data may be leaked through untrustworthy third parties.
Phishing
Phishing is the main threat to mobile security.
It is a scam attempt to steal users' credentials or sensitive data, such as credit card numbers.
Scammers send users emails or SMS messages designed to look like they come from a legitimate source, yet use fake hyperlinks.
Malware and Ransomware
Malware: undetected software, such as a malicious application or spyware, created to damage, disrupt, or gain illegitimate access to a client, computer, server, or computer network.
Ransomware: a form of malware that threatens to destroy or retain a victim's data or files unless a ransom is paid to decrypt the files and restore access.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
Companies that adopt bring your own device (BYOD) policies also expose themselves to greater security risks.
They grant access to corporate servers and sensitive databases to insecure devices, opening the door to attacks.
Cybercriminals and fraudsters can exploit these vulnerabilities and cause harm to the user and the organization.
They search for trade secrets, insider information, and unauthorized access to a secure network to find anything that could be profitable.
Security Measures on Mobile Devices
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM): a set of tools and technologies that maintain and manage the use of mobile and portable devices within an organization for routine business operations.
Email security: protect data from email-based cyber threats (malware, identity theft, phishing); organizations should proactively monitor email traffic (antivirus, spam detection, image monitoring, and content monitoring).
Endpoint protection: with technologies such as mobile, IoT and cloud, organizations connect new and different endpoints to their response environment; endpoint security includes antivirus protection, data loss prevention, endpoint encryption, and endpoint security management.
Virtual Private Network (VPN): allows a company to securely extend its private intranet over the existing infrastructure of a public network, such as the internet; the company can monitor network traffic while providing essential security features such as authentication and data protection.
Secure gateway: protected network connection, connecting anything to anything; applies consistent security and internet compliance policies to all users, regardless of location or type of device being used; keeps unauthorized traffic out of an organization's network.
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): point of policy application between users and "Cloud Service Providers" (CSP); monitors cloud-related activity and enforces security, compliance, and governance standards around the use of cloud-based resources.
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