MOBILE SECURITY in Computer Security Foundationss

MOBILE SECURITY in Computer Security Foundationss

MOBILE SECURITY

Computer Security Foundationss

For this research paper, I will be doing a research on mobile security. In the recent past, there has been a record increase in the number of mobile phones users accessing the internet. According to research, mobile access accounts for thirty percent of all data traffic on the intent today (Bitton, Finkelshtein, Sidi, Puzis, Rokach & Shabtai, 2018). Taxonomy. The mobile phones are being used to conduct critical processes such as online banking, accessing medical information and storage of critical information related to the user. This has turned them into a key target for attackers as they try to gain access to this information. The main reason for the increasing number of attacks on mobile phone users is due to the unsuspecting nature of the users. Most users feel that since they own the mobile phones and keep them in their possession at all times, the probability of being attacked is minimal.

While this might be true, the number of mobile phone attacks is increasing at an alarming rate. As the number of mobile phone users is predicted to be more than six billion by 2021, there is a need to formulate security policies that will ensure that these devices are effectively protected (Choo, Rokach & Bettini, 2016). The first approach to protecting mobile devices is by identifying the root cause and source of these attacks. Often, mobile phone attacks involve social engineering or phishing attacks. Mobile phone users often receive emails from their employers of family members. Attackers have taken advantage of this trend and created emails that falsify the user’s employer or family member.

Unlike a desktop computer, the user must first open the email to view its contents. When the user opens the infected email, the attacker immediately installs malware into the mobile phone and takes control of its contents (Lalande, Viet Triem Tong, Graux, Hiet, Mazurczyk, Chaoui & Berthomé, 2019). Similarly, due to the sense of security that is created by the portability of mobile phones, users often use simple passwords or sometimes, do not protect their phones using passwords. The attacker therefore targets the phone and by using simple data such as the birth data of the user, gains access to the mobile phone and accesses the information in it.

In this research paper, I will indicate that there is a need to create security measures that will ensure the security of mobile devices. One approach that will highlight and expound more on is the creation of user awareness. Most users are attacked without even being aware that they are being attacked. This is mainly due to the portability of mobile phones that creates a false sense of security. Mobile phone users need to be made aware that despite the portability of the phones, they are at more risk of being attacked as any desktop or personal computer user (Lau, 2017). The research will take a qualitative and quantitative approach by analyzing previously done researches and current data on the number and causes of mobile phone attacks that have been recorded by Kaspersky. By analyzing this data, I will create a section of proposed solutions that will serve to help users to effectively protect their phones from attacks.

References

Bitton, R., Finkelshtein, A., Sidi, L., Puzis, R., Rokach, L., & Shabtai, A. (2018). Taxonomy of mobile users’ security awareness. Computers & Security, 73, 266-293.

Choo, K. R., Rokach, L., & Bettini, C. (2016). Mobile security and privacy: Advances, challenges and future research directions.

Lalande, J. F., Viet Triem Tong, V., Graux, P., Hiet, G., Mazurczyk, W., Chaoui, H., & Berthomé, P. (2019, February). Teaching android mobile security. In Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (pp. 232-238).

Lau, L. (2017). Mobile Security: End Users are the Weakest Link in the System. In Mobile Security and Privacy (pp. 57-66). Syngress.