for Smartphones and other mobile devices
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Smartphones really are amazing devices. They’re not just for making calls and checking your calendar anymore. I love the always on internet access and I love the multimedia capabilities of my phone. I also love that I can download all sorts of apps to take advantage of these capabilities and extend the functionality of my mobile device. I’m always on the lookout for a great new app.
I came across a podcast client called Mediafly the other day, and have been really impressed with it. I am using their application on my Android phone. They also have versions of their software for Blackberry, iPhone, and WebOS (from Palm). I was surprised to see that they do not list Windows Mobile and Symbian as supported platforms. As expected, they also can sync to MP3 players like iPods, Zunes, or Sandisk Sansa players through a desktop application. Not so expected though, is support for some set top boxes like Roku or Popcorn Hour.
A podcast is a show released for download on the Internet. Some are audio only, like radio, others are video. Some are even in HD! Podcasts are released through a feed that allows you to subscribe to them with special client software so that the newest episodes are automatically downloaded and ready for you to enjoy.
In my opinion, the best feature of the Mediafly software is the ability to manage my subscriptions via the Mediafly website on my PC. I can browse an extensive catalog of shows from many different sources. When I subscribe to a particular show, it shows up automatically on my phone so that I can listen to it on the go. I don’t have to sync my phone to my PC, the show is downloaded over the air through my data plan.
I listen to a number of different podcasts, and with Mediafly, I can always make sure I have the most recent episode with me wherever I am, no more forgetting to sync my iPod to my PC to get the new shows. If you’re interested in exploring some of the great content available as podcasts, some of my favorite shows come from the TWiT Network, CNet, and NPR.
Early last week, PGP Corporation and the Ponemon Institute released the results of their joint venture, 5th annual, 2009 Annual Study: Cost of a Data Breach. In an effort to save our readers from the imminent snore fest that will follow downloading this report, here are some of the highlights of the study:
Key Findings:
- 36% of the cases studied involved lost or stolen mobile devices
- 42% of the cases studied involved 3rd part mistakes or flubs
- 24% of the cases involved a malicious or criminal attack that resulted in the loss or theft of personal information
- Data breaches from malicious attacks and botnets doubled from 12% to 24% in 2009
- The total cost to the enterprise rose from $202 to $204 per compromised record
- The average organizational cost of a data breach increased from $6.65 million to $6.75 million in 2009 with the magnitude of the event ranging from 5,000 to more than 101,000 lost or stolen records.
The study goes on to discuss preventative measures that include industry best practices that include manual and policy approaches as well as automated IT security solutions. The report identifies the most effective technologies as:
- Encryption (including whole disk encryption and for mobile devices/smartphones
- Data loss prevention (DLP) solutions
- Identity and access management solutions
- Endpoint security solutions and other anti-malware tools
It then goes on to encourage enterprises to look for centralized management of IT security solutions so they can automatically enforce IT security best practices throughout the organization. None of these recommendations should be considered ground breaking ideas. Security professionals have been working diligently over the past decade or longer to bring these types of solutions and protection capabilities into their enterprises. In many cases, regulatory requirements for the most targeted industries have forced the hands of budget managers to embrace these automated technologies, often to the benefit of their customer base. In other cases, where regulation has not been effective at encouraging an organization to perform their due diligence, the threat of the loss of customer base or reputation has provided the necessary ammunition for IT departments to convince budget managers to embrace security as a business decision.
What this study does reveal is that enterprise protections still need to be extended to the mobile user. Knowing that 1 in 3 data breaches were the result of an attack on a mobile device underscores that fact. Mobile users are gaining increasing access to corporate data from networks that cannot be controlled or monitored and are often open to the general public. Mobile smartphone devices continue to lack even the basic protections that laptops receive, yet the same data can and is being accessed.
Of the preventative solutions that were provided in the study, 2 of the 4 can be directly applied to smartphone devices at the consumer level. When considering the recommendation that encourages organizations to look for enterprise management solutions for automated protections, enterprise smartphone users can leverage 3 of the 5 recommendations, today.
In our experience, limiting physical access to the device and encrypting the data that resides on the device may be the single most effective way of protecting data in the case that a handset is lost or stolen. When encryption and passcodes are coupled with endpoint security applications on smartphones that allow for remote lock/wipe and GPS locate, the risk of losing sensitive data declines immensely.
When considering the risk to data from an automated or malicious attack, mobile anti-virus and anti-spyware applications provide the endpoint protections necessary to identify if your device is infected with malware. Currently, this technology is incredibly affordable and available to enterprise users and consumers alike. Just as no sane user would consider conducting any type of business from a computer without, at least, an anti-virus program running, smartphone users should be employing the same logic. To address the fifth recommendation for enterprises to look for enterprise managment solutions when providing endpoint security solutions, SMobile offers an enterprise solution that is tailored specifically towards easing administration and configuration woes and simplifies routine analysis of enterprise devices.
Corporate and personal data is under attack, both as it resides inside the enterprise and when it’s being manipulated on mobile devices and smartphones. Consumers and enterprises only do themselves and their customers an injustice when they continue to treat these devices with deference, as compared to other computing devices.
In the waning days of 2008, a survey was commissioned by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and Cosmogirl.com to explore electronic activity of teens and young adults. I’m not entirely certain, but this may have been one of the first comprehensive looks at the tendencies of teens towards sharing themselves (photographically) with their companions and complete strangers. A simple Google search indicates that since this study was commissioned, interested parties are taking notice of the wave that is sweeping across the world. More recently, MTV and the Associated Press teamed up to revisit the realities of sexting amongst teens. These results may be surprising to some, but they certainly are not to me.
Government agencies, non-profits, news outlets, and software companies all have a dog in the fight. NBC’s award winning television show “To Catch a Predator” brought the scary reality of online predators targeting underage children for sexual exploitation to primetime. Teens are bombarded by sexually suggestive content day in and day out. Often they are approached on Facebook or MySpace by acquaintances and strangers, alike, with the ultimate goal of sexualizing the conversation. According to the MTV-AP study, 3 in 10 young people have been involved in some form of nude sexting. Nearly two-thirds of those report that they were actively pressured into sharing nude photos with the other party. Strikingly, 29% of those that participated in sexting did so with someone they only knew online or had never even met. The only (somewhat) assuring statistic that I read in these studies is that the overall incidence statistic is slightly higher amongst 18-24 year olds (33%) when compared to 14-17 year olds (24%)…for what it’s worth.
I could go on and on quoting statistics that would frighten even the most sexually liberated parent or family in the world. But, I think it may be enlightening to consider what those involved in sexting think about this phenomenon. In doing so, I’d like to point to the comments section of an article written about the first study I discussed. It’s painfully obvious that many of the comments that support the act of sexting are coming from teens or children. They see no problem with it, which is why it becomes the responsibility of the parent putting this type of technology in their hands to protect them from themselves. If protecting your children’s innocence doesn’t provide the peace of mind necessary, consider their reputations, safety and even legal trouble that they could find themselves in.
Mobile phones and smartphone devices offer naturally curious teens the ability to explore their sexuality, almost at will. Teens are especially susceptible to peer pressure because they just want to be liked and identified as popular. Even as adults, we may all notice how much easier it is to say something over text message that we would never say if the person was standing in front of us. The difference being that (most) adults are emotionally and developmentally equipped to make informed decisions and accept the consequences of their actions.
This is where software companies have placed their dog in the fight. For years, we’ve seen companies like Net Nanny make a very profitable impact in assisting parents in having some sort of peace of mind in knowing that their children aren’t becoming targets of online predators on PCs. Here at SMobile, we’ve taken that concept of monitoring our family’s communication to mobile devices and we do it better than anyone in the world. Of course, SMobile’s Parental Controls and Monitoring is only one aspect of our software offerings for smartphones. Which is why I’m breaking my personal rule of mixing advertising and product support when blogging about security subjects.
In researching these statistics I came across the article that I linked to that shows the comments of teens supporting sexting. However, before I even got to the comments section, I noticed that the author of the article was actively advocating the use of monitoring software in order to detect this type of activity. Obviously, I’m a proponent of this type of technology when the software is on the up and up. In this particular instance, the author provides a link to a product named “Mobile Spy”. SMobile, along with many of the other leading mobile anti-virus vendors accurately categorizes “Mobile Spy” as a spyware application because it actively tries to obfuscate and hide itself and its true intentions from the user being monitored. There are any number of 3rd party applications that are available to attackers that allow them to be installed on a target device, unbeknown to the victim.
At SMobile, we believe that it is imperative that this type of software capability be handled in a transparent manner. While I’m in firm agreement that children have absolutely no right to privacy while they are considered to be in custodial care of a parent, I also believe that if parents want to monitor their children’s online and mobile activities, they need to do it in a manner that the children know it is happening. Secondarily, the responsible use of software that is regularly tied to nefarious spying, communication interception aimed at supposed cheating spouses, identity theft and theft of corporate data or trade secrets sends the wrong message. Paradoxically, we often see this type of spyware being used in furtherance of cyber stalking and/or harassment of unwilling participants. Certainly, software suites such as “Mobile Spy” can assist a parent in monitoring their children’s activity. But the clandestine manner in which the tools exist on the mobile device also lends their functionality to criminal activity. I believe the same precautions can be taken by parents by employing products that inform the user that they are being monitored for their own safety.
Mobile Security Threats and Prevention
Filed Under: Blog, Mobile Security News, SecurityWednesday, January 27th, 2010
The cell phone and smart phone industry have rapidly developed in the United States and across the world. The days of the phone being used as simply a voice device has come and gone. Today each cell phone has become a small PC in the pocket of each person.
Though the public may remember the basic rules of security when using their home PC’s, they quickly forget that the same risks apply to there cell phones as well. The apple IPhone has set a new standard as to who is using the new generation of smart phones as well as redefining the applications that will be run on the device.
Read more on Mobile Security Threats and Prevention
Mobile Security is Crucial especially during Divorce or Separation
Filed Under: SupportThursday, January 21st, 2010
Everyday I receive calls from tormented men and women who are convinced that their soon to be ex-spouse is spying on them. Many times this is a reality causing unnecessary mental anguish, family turmoil, and financial ruin. Mobile Security should be one of the first steps taken to avoid yet another attack or threat from a disgruntled spouse or partner.
If you keep asking yourself “How is he/she getting this information”, “How do they know I went to…” chances are spying software or surveillance equipment is being utilized. Thoroughly check your home and vehicle. Be aware of your surroundings. Personal and family security rests on the individuals shoulders. Take all the precautions you can to include your mobile devices. After all, mobile phones are one of a hand full of items you have in your possession 24/7. What better way for someone to track and monitor you.
Being a retired military man I have continued to live by this simple but effective Army motto… “Be safe, be aware, and be secure.”
In my first segment of the “Securing Your Mobile Device” series, I talked about some very simple configuration changes that should be immediate, but standard across every Smartphone platform. Now that we’ve set a passcode on our handset and disabled some services that might lend our new mobile device to the curiosity of the run-of-the-mill snooping miscreant, let’s take a look at what might be the next thing we need to consider with our new handset. (For my BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian readers, hang with me for a few seconds as I set this all up. The information will still apply to you.)
One of the first things I did when I got my Android (besides rooting it) was to check out the apps that I could tinker with from the Android Market. I’m sure the same could be said for my iPhone friends and the iTunes App Store. I found all kinds of goodies that I thought would be fun to play with. There was an app to manage my backgrounds, several useful ones to better my keyboard (hint!) and typing experience, apps for managing RSS feeds, some mobile news roundups, tools and utilities for me to manage the innards of my device, some connectivity tools and I even came across one that would teach me the secrets of the Kama Sutra. The point is that there are now over 20,000 apps in the Android Market that users can either pay for (often at a reasonable price) or simply download free of charge. Android and iPhone users will undoubtedly spend hours upon hours in the first few months of owning their device looking for apps to streamline their daily routine and interactions.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I think Google’s Android operating system is the future for mobile devices like smart phones. That’s not to say that Apple’s iPhone isn’t a great device. It is. Touch screen phones wouldn’t be what they are today without Apple pushing the envelope in the last few years, but, the iPhone has one big problem. Apple. Apple has created a closed system, and, while that closed system has allowed Apple to produce a great product thus far, it will ultimately be the reason that Android surpasses the iPhone.
Android is a great operating system for mobile devices. There are some aspects that aren’t quite as polished yet, but overall, It has significantly closed the lead that Apple has had in terms of functionality, quality, and user experience. The openness of the Android platform is what I think will propel it into the lead over the next two years.
On Tuesday, the people and country of Haiti found themselves to be the victims of a great tragedy, in the form of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked the country. Waking up this morning we’re seeing, as it should be, humanitarian efforts popping up all around us. While those efforts are almost always of the best intentions, it is worth mentioning that tragedies such as this always seems to bring the worst creatures of our species from the woodworks.
With nearly every major tragedy we have seen over the last decade, we’ve seen good hearted people that have donated time and (possibly more importantly) money to the efforts to re-stabilize the affected. Unfortunately, we also see fraudsters and criminals use these tragedies as a means to make a quick buck off of the backs of those individuals that would like to help.
I will not attempt to take a look at all of the charity efforts underway and attempt to determine what is real and what is fake, but I would like to take this time to caution everyone that would like to donate to be somewhat cautious when and how they choose to donate. You will likely be approached in person, over email, on television, the radio and now I would highly expect to see these same types of offers finding their way into your mobile devices.
I would expect to see “TXT to Donate” offers where, I would assume, you will be asked to send an SMS message to some short code SMS premium number that will automatically charge your mobile account and will deposit the funds into some sort of relief fund. While I’m certain there will be legitimate “TXT to Donate” type funds setup that will undoubtedly pass the funds on to those in need, I can guarantee that there will be just as many, if not more that are completely fraudulent. I’m equally as certain that smartphone applications will also begin popping up that purport to provide some sort of support to the relief efforts as well. I would just like to caution everyone to be vigilent, perform your due diligence when choosing how and where to donate your money to the relief efforts that will ensue.
When in doubt, please look to the time-tested, standard organizations for providing your support. I hear the Red Cross is always a good place to direct your assistance efforts….
Now that the holidays have come and gone, it’s time to settle in to our normal work routines for the long haul to spring. Most of us have had ample time to tinker around with the new gadgets and gizmo’s we got for Christmas and have likely become at least comfortable navigating our way through the menus and settings on our shiny new Smartphones. Now is probably the right time to start thinking about securing those devices.
As SMobile has shown in the various whitepapers and research projects published at our Global Threat Center, different Smartphone platforms offer different levels and types of possibilities for securing access to the systems and the data they hold. For instance, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Symbian all offer the ability to set a passcode on the handset to gain access to the device. Some platforms offer stronger protections than others, but they all attempt to limit prying eyes from gaining easy access to your device. It is also extremely effective in preventing an attacker from installing software that we affectionately refer to as “Spyware”. Nearly every variant of spyware that we have analyzed here at SMobile requires that the attacker physically install and perform at least some very basic initial configurations in order for the software to function properly. The bottom line is that configuring your device to require a passcode be entered for access to be granted may be the single most effective way of keeping your information secure.
Read more about securing your Smartphone…
I’m a gadget geek. I freely admit it. I love electronic gadgets, and that’s all there is to it. What’s better, I get to play with gadgets for a living. Is this great or what?! Each week, I’m going to take a little bit of time to write here and reflect gadgets, technology, and maybe a little bit of news here and there. As you would expect, being on the SMobile site, I will generally focus on mobile technology.
New mobile “devices” (as they’re called in the industry) come out constantly, and each round is more capable than the last. Something I find very interesting is how mobile gadgets are changing our lives. They offer us a level of connectivity to the world around us that has never been possible before. It wasn’t long ago that my cell phone could do little more than make phone calls. If you were on the cutting edge, you had a slick little flip phone with a camera built in. If you were lucky, you had a camera with enough resolution that you could actually tell who you had taken the picture of! Now, I can’t imagine having a phone that can not surf the web, shoot video, run custom applications to do things like update Twitter or Facebook, and give me directions to the nearest coffee shop.
Unless you live in a very remote area, you probably have access to at least one carrier’s mobile data network. Just about anywhere, you can have an always-on connection to the internet in the palm of your hand. Combine that with a touch screen interface, and you literally have the world at your fingertips.
Check back regularly, and explore the world of gadgets and mobile technology with me!