Know how many security threats there are for 2011?
March 10th, 2011 | Security,Uncategorized | No Comments »Mobile Apps:
Did you know that 85% of adults in the US own a mobile phone? ( I thought that this figure seemed a bit low…) [Turns out that 90% have access to a cellphone, but only 85% actually own one. ] Anyone hear the about the Trojan Droid Dream? No? Well what it did was gain root access to sensitive information such as a device’s ID, model number etc… This meant that the software could take control of the devices and download things that you didn’t want on your computer. Luckily, Google remotely deleted the Trojan from user’s phones before it could do any damage.
However, malware isn’t just on official app stores. Outbreaks come from repackaged apps and alternative app stores. Due to the increase in malware in smartphones, soon you might have to have two phones: one for work and one for personal use. So how do you protect yourself? First, be careful about what apps you install. Do some research before you install an app. Does it have a reputation? What kind of reputation does it have? Etc…
Don’t forget to read the app’s list of permissions before you download. Does it make sense for this app to have access? See if you can uncheck unwanted permissions. Does that game really need access to your camera? (If you’re an Android user, Google makes it mandatory for the list of permissions to be there. If there’s antivirus apps for your smartphone, you might want to think about getting one.
Social Networks:
You’ve all heard about Social Network scams right? Good, then I don’t have to go into very much detail. One large thing to keep in mind is that using your Facebook account information , criminals can actually go and burglarize your house . So, don’t click on any suspicious links, be wary of claims you know to be untrue and again , read exactly what the app is asking permission for.
Antivirus Software :
Since more users have become aware of the need for antivirus software , these scams have been on the rise. The scam looks like a legitimate piece of software and convinces the user that the computer has on infection. Once the user pays for the software, the program has access to the users computer and credit card information . NOT GOOD What ca you do to protect yourself? First make sure you are running a current security program that is updated frequently and never download security software from a popup add.
PDFs:
Apparently PDF’s are one of the potentially most dangerous file formats available. Why? It’s easy to conceal malicious content in the file. PC World give you a link to the study…but, since it’s in a PDF format, I didn’t read it. 😀 So, be careful where you get your PDF”s from. (My university uses PDF’s often, but I’m pretty sure that they’re not infected.) Remember to run and keep your antivirus programs updated. Also, make sure to keep your PDF reader updated. Many of the updates have important fixes.
War Games or in other words, state sponsored malware attacks, industrial espionage, etc…
For the ordinary person they may not be a threat, but if you own manage security for a business you should be paying attention. Hacking groups have attacked sites in Egypt and Libya in support of recent protests. The group has also leaked emails from a security researcher attempting to identify their members. How do you protect your company from all this? First, monitor the network traffic and conduct regular reviews of employee data access privileges.
All of these threats may seem scary(they do to me), but they can be mitigated by being vigilant, keeping things updated and just using common sense.