In our last couple of blogs, we’ve discussed how to protect your network, Cloud, and your organization’s ICT system. But we missed out Mobile security completely. We need to seriously consider security of the most important digital device—mobile phone that remains with us 24/7 and holds most of our sensitive information. In recent years, cybercriminals have been increasingly looking for ways to attack our phone devices. After all, we never part away with our smartphones; they are our primary means of storing personal and professional docs, photos, emails, bank, wallets, security pins, contacts, and even more than what we can think. Don’t you think we should consider a strong mobile security solution to protect our valuable data? In this article, we’ll discuss about possible mobile threats, where to find them and how to do Mobile Protection with Kaspersky Internet Security for Android.

According to Kaspersky Lab, they caught 42.7 million pieces of malware on smartphones and tablets in 2017. Mobile threats can come in all sizes and shapes; you need to be aware of all possible attack methods so that you can take timely actions and protect your data from any kind of information or data loss.

Let’s walk through couple of dangerous mobile beasts that are much more likely to leave you out of pocket or phoneless.

1. Bank and Card Details: Our smartphones and tablets know everything (almost) about us — from our contact details to bankcard numbers and current location. This information is a goldmine for cybercriminals. As a result, the Web is full of all kinds of pests out to grab anything lying around (or carelessly typed).
2. Spywares: As the name implies, spyware are programs to spy on people like hidden cyptominers. Below is some target areas where they affect most:

• Stealing your e-mails and text messages (both SMS and IM) and forwarding them to cybercriminals.
• Recording phone conversations,
• Sending your device’s GPS coordinates to scammers,
• Revealing your browser history and clipboard contents,
• Stealing personal or work documents, or any files from your phone,
• Turning on the microphone and/or camera and sending out secretly recorded photos, audio, and video,
• Stealing social media and online bank account details,
• Collecting system information.

3. Banking Trojans: Banking Trojans steal data linked to bank cards and apps. As they provide direct route into people’s account, these are highly popular among hackers. Banking Trojans come in a variety of flavors, and in many cases they combine an array of functions. For example, The Trojan Faketoken, uses windows imitating apps to steal card data, including the CVV code, and expiry date. All this looks entirely legitimate. The program then intercepts the SMS duly sent by the bank and forwarded it to the cybercriminals, whereupon it can perform transactions in the name of the device owner.
4. Mobile Ransomware: Malicious developers create mobile ransomware Trojans to block victims’ devices and demand money to restore access. According to a 2017 report by Kaspesky Labs, 83% of detected ransomware came from the Congur family of Trojans, which locked victims’ devices with a PIN. And to restore back of your device, you have to pay the heavy ransom amount to criminals.
5. Mobile Wipers: As the name implies, mobile wipers wipe out all the files and information from victim’s device. For ordinary scammers trying to make money by collecting ransom, wiping user data makes no business sense. Instead, wipers are commonly used in corporate or political knife fights.
6. Mobile Miners: If your smartphone suddenly starts to heat up, slow down, and drain battery quickly, the most likely culprit is a hidden cryptocurrency miner — these pests secretly mine cryptocurrency for someone else at your expense.

How to stay protected from these unknown mobile threats?

To protect yourself from all such mobile beasts, it’s worth following some simple security rules.

• Install apps only from official stores, such as Google Play or the Apple App Store: It’s not a guarantee, but it considerably lowers your risk of permitting cyberthreats onto your device.
• Block the installation of software from all third-party sources in the device settings. This eliminates the randomly downloaded threats that attempt to mimic system updates and the like.
• Don’t forget to install system and application updates — they patch vulnerabilities that criminals can e
• Think hard before clicking on dubious links in e-mail or text messages.
• Pay attention to the permissions requested by apps during installation. Don’t just blindly agree to permissions and T&C before reading them.
• Protect all mobile devices with a reliable antivirus utility. For example, the award winning tried and tested security programs like Kaspersky Internet Security for Android performs real-time analysis of apps, links, and Web pages, and blocks anything that looks suspicious or dangerous.

Implement security that is truly yours with ICTechnology

At ICTechnology, we deliver a perfectly balanced combination of agile, continuous security and superior efficiency, protecting your data against the most advanced current and future threats without compromising your mobile performance. Kaspersky Internet Security for Android would be a perfect fit.

Contact us now to implement Kaspersky Internet Security for Android for you or your business.