Mobile phones, in particular smartphones, are an integral part of modern life, but with the increasing volume of hacks and scams, mobile security should be at the forefront for every mobile phone user.
However, in a recent report published by Bitdefender, this is shown to not always be the case.
Whilst some people do consider security measures, such as password protection and anti-virus software for their online activity using a PC or Mac, this does not always transfer to their mobile phone usage. This is despite the fact that their mobile phone usage to access online services is often far greater than that of their computer.
The report shows the worrying trend that many mobile phone users are not taking their online security seriously.
What percentage on phone users face mobile security threats?
The figures below should be a cause for concern, particularly for businesses deploying their mobile phone fleet across their organisation.
- 61% of users have faced a threat within the last year.
- Of this figure, 36% were either a scam message or a call on their mobile phone.
Considering the integration between mobile devices and the business main computer system, this could pose a risk to the business, as malware could be introduced by an unprotected mobile phone.
It is also worth noting that almost a quarter of those surveyed for the report stated that they use their work mobile phone for accessing their personal online accounts.
By further coupling this information with the figures below, it shows a disturbing picture of very little personal online security posing a threat to businesses. Organisations must react by reinforcing their mobile data security and privacy protection protocols.
Looking at the statistics for just the mobile phone devices, the figures highlight a continued threat because of the fact that many do not feel they actually require any online security or privacy products.
SOURCE: When considering the sheer number of methods that hackers and scammers can deploy, it proves that taking security measures is vital for keeping personal and sensitive information private.
Here are some of the methods hackers use, further highlighting this point:
- Riskware
- Malware
- Madware
- Spyware
- Phishing
- Grayware
- Browser Exploits
- Spoofing
- Unsecured Wi-Fi
- Lost / Stolen Smartphone
Education about mobile phone security
The report clearly highlights the gap in understanding about the risks posed to personal and business security from online activity. Scams, hacks and malware are just a few of the techniques used to gain access to sensitive information.
There have been some high-profile successful hacks that have taken place that were as a result of human error.
Back in November 2020, we wrote an article entitled “Unhackable Mobile Phones – Jeff Bezos Phone Hack” which highlighted one of these incidents. Jeff Bezos opened an attachment he was sent that activated malware that harvested his data.
It is simple human error but it further shows that education about what is safe and what poses a risk is important.
Amongst the business community, especially for businesses where mobile phone security is important, educating their workforce to the need for mobile phone security measures, along with the risks posed by using work equipment for personal usage, will be an important step in securing their systems.
As the table above clearly shows, the range of excuses people use to avoid setting up a secure mobile phone. It really is down to educating the workforce and management of individual phone security.
Buying secure mobile phones in 2022
If you now feel that using a secure mobile phone is important for your business or to protect your personal information, you need to ensure that the handset itself provides the highest level of protection possible.
This is where the Blackphone PRIVY 2.0 becomes a vital factor in the protection of both personal and business information.
With the in-built security features, including:
- Zero-attack Surface
- Verified boot loader
- Active device monitoring
- PRIVY Chat & PRIVY Vault
the deployment of Blackphone PRIVY 2.0 across an organisation helps to secure the mobile usage and therefore prevents the mobile phone becoming an access point for the hackers.
Don’t delay, get in touch and we can help you with a secure and private mobile phone.