In 2012 the number of unique detections of malware for Android increased globally by a factor of 17X (yes, that is 1,700%), and we expect the increase in 2013 to be even greater. This is one of the main predictions in the white paper we are releasing today: “Trends for 2013: astounding growth of mobile
On Thursday, September 12, Duo Security, a young-but-respected vendor of two-factor authentication devices, announced the preliminary results of a study of over 20,000 Android devices from a two month old study they performed. Based on the results, they calculated that over half of Android devices on the market have security vulnerabilities that are, as yet,
We read that “FinFisher spyware made by U.K.-based Gamma Group can take control of a range of mobile devices, including Apple Inc.’s iPhone and Research in Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry…”, at the opening of a Bloomberg article that several readers of the ESET blog sent us yesterday, along with a number of questions that boil down
News of SMS (text) phishing scams are nothing new to readers of this blog. ESET researcher Cameron Camp recently wrote an article explaining how they work and how to avoid them here on ESET’s Threat Blog: SMSmishing (SMS Text Phishing) – how to spot and avoid scams, And just before Valentine’s Day, my colleague Stephen
In a recent survey of people in America who use their smartphone for work, less than a third said they employ the password protection on their smartphones. Although everyone will agree that not protecting your smartphone isn’t smart, it is all about memorizing. Everyone that has an Android-based device knows they do not have to
While our recent post on BYOD focuses on the prevalence and/or risk of inadequately trained staff potentially creating problems for the core IT infrastructure using their own personal devices for work, it seems others here at RSA are concerned with preventing the exact same thing, but from a different angle. I attended one “lighting round”
Introduction Mobile World Congress 2012 is almost upon us, and one of the most hotly-anticipated topics is the next generation of Microsoft’s smartphone operating system Windows Phone 8, which has been kept under wraps far more tightly than its PC counterpart, Windows 8. While Microsoft was an early adopter in the creation of smartphones with
As legislators grapple with increasingly vocal smartphone owners concerned with privacy, a new Bill before the U.S. House of Representatives aims to require mandatory consumer consent prior to allowing the collection or transfer of data on such devices. You may recall that a company called CarrierIQ recently became the center of attention after a user
Okay, you got the wrapping paper off the new tablet hotness, fired it up and now cannot put it down. But what should you be doing in the New Year to properly feed, protect, and care for your newly found addiction? Well here are some of the basics – things that are easy to do
I want share with you what ESET Latin America’s Research team thinks will be the main trends in malware and cybercrime in 2012. In our office it is usual to produce an analysis of emerging trends in a year-end report and so, in keeping with recent postings by my ESET colleagues, I present a summary
One of the blessings of Open Source initiatives is the rapidity with which coders can release quality collaborative code. This is one of the ways the Android managed to claw its way into the smartphone mainstream, after arriving late to the game. But as the app ecosystem matures, vulnerability/patch management becomes more of an issue,
A while back a malicious program called DroidDream was found on the Google Marketplace. The thing about DroidDream is that it exploited a vulnerability that gave it root access. Now contrast how Google treats security software. Security applications are not allowed to have root access. The truth is that the most popular mobile platforms (and
Yesterday I blogged about a security company that found a high percentage of apps for the iPhone and for the Android were stealing user information. I call it stealing because the user is not aware of what personal data is leaving their phone. At the Blackhat Security Conference in Las Vegas the same company, Lookout
Is online privacy with Facebook technologically agnostic or can different rules apply if you post with your iPhone or other Smartphone? Are early adopters somehow compromised with their mobile device usage? Can a social media company make money while adopting user-driven privacy which impacts their revenue potential and shareholder value?
Ford Motor Company has recently announced that later this year it will be producing cars with built-in WiFi capabilities. Since 2008, the first generation of this system enabled owners of certain Ford, Lincoln & Mercury vehicles to connect media players & bluetooth devices to their entertainment systems. This second generation of its so called Sync
According to Cell-news.com, in 2007 over 850,000 Brits flushed their cell phones down the toilet. I’m sorry to report that there isn’t much a security vendor can do to help you if you flush your cell phone. ESET recently commissioned a study of smart phone users concerning mobile security. The results are interesting. A little
SC Magazine recently reported a malicious application in Google’s Android online market store http://www.scmagazineus.com/malicious-apps-found-in-googles-android-online-store/article/161001/. Due to the highly open nature of Android applications, this is going to probably be a huge problem. Here is the real irony. Many people will probably switch from Android to the iPhone because of the security concerns. Why is it
ICE stands for “In Case of Emergency”. The idea is that you put ICE in front of the contact(s) on your phone that you would want to have called if something happens and emergency personnel look at your cell phone to try to figure out who to call. I recently found a cell phone at
No, nothing to do with drive-by downloads… Our colleagues in Europe came up with a nice idea: an article on the dangers of web surfing on free wi-fi and some tips on staying safe. (A topic dear to the hearts of all of us who find ourselves out and about with our laptops from time
