Mobile

As mobile device usage continues to grow within enterprises the security risk increases too. Mobile browsers get patched less often and other threats come from phishing and malicious document downloads.

To combat these problems Menlo Security is extending its cloud-based Secure Web Gateway (SWG) to include web isolation for mobile devices.

A switch to remote working has resulted in a 200 percent surge in the use of business-related mobile applications and a 25 percent boost in mobile device screen time compared to the previous year.

A new report from reimbursement solution Motus also shows many professionals resorted to using mobile hot spots to offset the strains that reduced home internet speeds, which contributed to a near 20 percent spike in mobile data traffic.

Phishing is nothing new, but the COVID-19 pandemic has seen an increase in attacks around the world as cybercriminals seek to exploit the opportunities offered.

Mobile security company Zimperium has produced an infographic looking at phishing trends with a particular emphasis on the mobile sector.

According to a new report from mobile security specialist Wandera 52 percent of organizations experienced a malware incident on a remote device in 2020, up from 37 percent in 2019.

The report is based on captured data from Wandera's global network of 425 million sensors across both corporate-owned and BYOD assets, making it the world’s largest and most insightful mobile data set.

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic mask wearing has become the norm in many public situations. While this might be good to prevent infection spreading it does have some downsides including muffled phone calls.

Consumer electronics company Binatone is using this week’s CES to launch a clever solution, a wireless headphone and facemask combined.

As noted in our 5G predictions roundup at the end of last year, one of the concerns about the rollout is that it introduces extra risks.

In order to provide a safer option Exium is launching its Secure 5G network as a service, based on emerging clean network standards being promoted by the US Department of State, the EU and others.

As the worldwide roll out of 5G networks gathers pace, what do industry experts believe will be the opportunities and threats that they will bring?

Verizon Media's chief business officer Iván Markman expects 5G to push more computing to the edge, "As 5G deployment grows across networks, offering much faster data speeds and low-latency, and computing is increasingly done at the edge of the cloud instead of inside a device, it will in turn lead to new form factors for devices as they don't need such huge computing power as they require right now to deliver XR experiences. We have already seen great strides forward in 2020 with live events across music, sports and beyond with new immersive XR experiences for audiences both at home and within venues."

Living in a developing nation, what used to be referred to as a third world country, has its charms. Many of the most beautiful places on Earth are found in such countries -- think Phuket in Thailand, or the myriad members of the Greater and Lesser Antilles. As a resident of one of the more remote and desirable of these destinations -- Mauritius -- I’ve been spoiled by access pristine beaches, lush jungles, and tropical fruits growing (literally) outside my window. But what I haven’t appreciated is the high cost of wireless internet access.

Until just recently, getting a pre-paid wireless plan for your iPhone or Android handset was far from economical. A typical monthly plan, though relatively inexpensive at MUR 299 (roughly $7.50 USD), came with a paltry 2-5GB of data. And as a Twitter and YouTube addict, I found myself refilling said plan almost weekly, depending on how much time I spent lazing on the beach or traipsing through the island’s majestic mountain forests.

More than 80 percent of global employees do not want to return to the office full-time, despite 30 percent claiming that being isolated from their team was the biggest hindrance to productivity during lockdown.

A new study from mobile-centric security platform MobileIron also uncovers some worrying views around security, with 33 percent considering it to be low priority.

Today's 5G networks mostly rely on the infrastructure of previous-generation 4G LTE networks. The non-standalone architecture has proved a quick way to provide subscribers with 5G access, however, this also exposes both the next-generation network and 5G subscribers to the same threats as older networks.

A new white paper from Positive Technologies details how mobile network operators (MNOs) who have already begun upgrading to 5G networks can migrate from previous generation networks without exposing themselves and their subscribers to existing and new risks.

Mobile devices have become an extension of our everyday lives, but if they are used to access business networks they could be exposing sensitive information to risk.

A new report from Gigamon reveals that most mobile devices run an average of 60-90 applications, facilitating access to email, SaaS-based solutions, cloud storage, social networks, games, news feeds and more.

Credential theft via social engineering is a major cause of data breaches, but with a more dispersed workforce it becomes harder to guard against.

Security platform MobileIron is launching a new multi-vector mobile phishing protection solution for iOS and Android devices to help organizations defend themselves.

New analysis carried out by Kaspersky of attacks on mobile devices has revealed that 14.8 percent of its users who were targeted by malware or adware in 2019 suffered a system partition infection, making the malicious files undeletable.

It also finds that pre-installed default applications have role to play, depending on the brand, the risk of applications that can't be deleted varies from one to five percent in low-cost devices and goes up to 27 percent in extreme cases.

In a new survey, 55 percent of respondents say test automation would improve software quality, and 51 percent say they're releasing software updates daily or weekly.

But the study of over 350 software testers from mobile testing platform Kobiton also shows automation initiatives are still in their infancy, with 58 percent of survey respondents saying their automation programs are relatively new or at least six months from starting.

Just because people can't go out to stores doesn't mean they've stopped buying things and a new study by app marketing specialist Liftoff and fraud prevention firm Adjust shows a boom in mobile shopping apps.

Engagement has surged 40 percent, with 14.7 percent purchase rates compared to last year's 10.5 percent. Looking at data over the past two years and the trend is even more apparent, with purchase engagement up a huge 110 percent.