2008 | SMobile Systems

Archive for 2008

5 ways to secure your Blackberry

Filed Under: Mobile Security News
Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

By Joan Goodchild
networkworld.com

It seems we can’t go a day lately without a new story about some security screw-up involving a lost or misplaced Blackberry. This week, officials with John McCain’s campaign mistakenly sold a Blackberry to a Fox television reporter for $20 in a fire sale. The device contained confidential campaign information. And many Hollywood gossip publications were abuzz earlier this month with news that Tom Cruise had lost his Blackberry while promoting a movie in Toronto. (Mixed reports now peg the device as either “found,” or “never lost in the first place.”)

With all of these slip-ups, it’s no wonder White House officials want President-Elect Barack Obama to relinquish his Blackberry before taking office. With this in mind, CSO asked Dan Hoffman, author, mobile security expert and CTO of SMobile Systems, for his advice on ways to keep your Blackberry safe.

Read more tips to protect your BlackBerry…

SMobile Systems Releases the First Antivirus to Protect Google Android Phones

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Thursday, November 6th, 2008

VirusGuard for Android Keeps G1 Users Safe from Attack of Mobile Viruses

COLUMBUS, Ohio, November 6, 2008- For more than a year, Google has been touting its cellular phone operating system known as Android that would open up the mobile phone platform to developers looking to add applications to handsets around the world. Two weeks ago, T-Mobile began selling its G1 handset, the world’s first Android based cell phone.

Now, millions of T-Mobile customers hold in their hands one of the smartest and most flexible mobile phones ever created. To help protect these users from the attack and proliferation of mobile viruses, spyware and other malware, SMobile Systems has released its SMobile VirusGuard for phones with Android.

The G1 & Security: A Paradox in Play?

Filed Under: Mobile Security News
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

By Judy Mottl
internetnews.com

The arrival Wednesday of the T-Mobile G1, the first Android smartphone, marks the debut of the most open mobile operating system yet.

Android’s creators – the Open Handset Alliance (OHA), Google and T-Mobile – have pledged to fully support third-party application development, promising no one will dictate what users can download to the G1, or what developers can upload to the Android Market storefront.

Such openness is aimed at advancing mobile applications, fostering innovative services and, of course, becoming the ‘game changer’ in a competitive and crowded smartphone market.

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), handset maker HTC and T-Mobile have essentially squared off against leading smartphone players, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Research in Motion (RIM), to grab market share and user adoration.

SMobile Systems Now Offers Software to Protect Mobile Banking and Trading

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Monday, September 15th, 2008

Mobile Security Software To Protect Growing Number Of Busy Bankers On The Go

COLUMBUS, Ohio, September 15, 2008 - SMobile Systems (www.smobilesystems.com), the leading developer of mobile security solutions, announced the launch of its Secure Mobile Banking and Trading (SMBT) endpoint security solution for financial institutions and consumers.

As more and more banks offer their customers mobile banking services, the global threat for data compromise and virus attack increases, putting these transactions and customer money at significant risk. Industry visionaries predict the services to be among the most popular applications for mobile phones.

SMobile ContactCrypt Protects Against Newly Exposed iPhone Security Vulnerability

Filed Under: Mobile Security News
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

The Gizmodo Gadget Guide website recently published an article describing a very large security vulnerability in the iPhone. Because of this flaw, even passcode-protected devices can reveal sensitive personal information on the iPhone by easily pressing a few buttons. This vulnerability is possible because of two reasons:

The Emergency Call option can be exploited to expose sensitive information
Sensitive information on the iPhone is not encrypted.

To access sensitive information, a person stealing or finding an iPhone simply needs to select the Emergency Call option and press the Home Button twice. Doing so takes the user to the Favorites screen, where Contact information is clearly exposed. Because the sensitive Contact information is not encrypted, it can be easily viewed. Various Contact-related fields, such as URL’s, can also be accessed via these contacts to provide access to the Safari browser and to e-mail.

This security flaw highlights a fundamental flaw in the iPhone – lack of encryption. To address this flaw, SMobile Systems has created ContactCrypt. ContactCrypt encrypts the Contact information not only protecting that sensitive information, but also not exposing associated URL’s and e-mail addresses that can provide access to other portions of the device. Below are screenshots showing the Contact database and associated contact URL, e-mail, etc. fields., including Favorites, in an encrypted state by using ContactCrypt.

A short video detailing ContactCrypt functionality can be found here.

Click here for the ContactCrypt user manual. ContactCrypt has been submitted to the Apple App Store.

SMobile Systems Partners With Sybase iAnywhere to Provide Mobile Enterprise Security

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 30 /PRNewswire/ — SMobile Systems today announced that it has partnered with Sybase iAnywhere, to deliver advanced mobile security solutions for Information Anywhere(R) Suite’s Afaria(R) mobile device management and security platform.

Together, Sybase iAnywhere and SMobile will work to secure a broad range of smartphones from the latest intrusions and threats, leveraging SMobile’s antivirus, firewall and mobile spam protection.

Security Industry Expert and Author Daniel V. Hoffman Joins SMobile as Chief Technology Officer

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Hoffman to Head Global Threat Center

COLUMBUS, June 23, 2008 – Daniel V. Hoffman, telecom security expert and author of numerous security books and articles, including “BlackJacking: Security Threats to BlackBerry Devices, PDAs, and Cell Phones in the Enterprise” (Wiley Publishing, 2007) has been tapped by SMobile Systems to join their executive team as chief technology officer.

Mr. Hoffman, a well-known and respected “ethical hacker” whose security expertise has been featured in education curriculum, conferences and media outlets globally, will head the SMobile Threat Center and lead the product development team on future updates, enhancement and versions of the flagship product, SecurityShield.

British Telecommunications plc Selects SMobile Systems to Secure its Newest Broadband Offering

Filed Under: SMobile Press Room
Thursday, May 8th, 2008

LONDON, May 8 /PRNewswire/ — Subscribers to British Telecommunications plc’s (BT) ground-breaking BT Total Broadband Anywhere service, will receive the top-of-the-range broadband service at home and BT ToGo, an all-in-one, Internet-enabled phone designed to email and surf the Internet, in-or-out of the home. These new phones will come protected with mobile security software provided by SMobile Systems, Inc. (https://smobilesystems.com)

BT ToGo will allow users to connect to the Internet at high speeds wherever they are and also offer services like Snap and Send, that let’s them save and share photos and the ability to make VoIP calls from the same device.

Cell phone users beware

Filed Under: Mobile Security News
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

www.wkyc.com

The Kuykendall family is terrified. Someone is hacking into their cell phones.

“They’ve totally taken over her phone,” Mrs. Kuykendall said as she talks about her teenage daughter’s mobile phone.

The stalkers know what the family is doing, what they’re wearing, what they’re saying.

“They threatened to kill us February 20th,” the elder Kuykendall said. “I’m just waiting for someone to wake me up. It’s like a nightmare.”

Authorities thought they were making it up. They told the family it was not possible. No one could do that.

They were wrong. It is possible.

At least a half dozen internet sites sell software that turns mobile phones into spy phones. We found one site out of Thailand. Their top of the line spyware sold for just over $400…

Read more about mobile phone hijacking…

'Winning' SMS is a hoax, Nokia UK warns

Filed Under: Mobile Security News
Monday, April 28th, 2008

By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter
gulfnews.com

Dubai: A leading mobile company has warned its users not to respond to a message that tells them they have won thousands of pounds.
A number of Nokia mobile users in the country said they received a message in their inbox that read: “Congratulations! Your cell phone has won £165,000 [Dh1.2 million] in the ongoing Nokia UK promo.”

The message also featured an e-mail address and a telephone number for claims.

Gulf News got in touch with Nokia Corporate Communications in the UK for clarification. The company said the message is one of several hoax sms’s that are circulating around the world, and Nokia has nothing to do with them.