Mobile security attacks have increased significantly within the past year as more corporate entities adopted remote working and bring your own device (BYOD) policies.
According to a recent report by Check Point, 97% of enterprises in 2020 faced mobile security threats, while about 46% of companies had at least one employee that fell victim to a malicious mobile application.
This trend is likely to continue, given that an estimated 60% of the world’s workforce will be mobile by 2024. Enterprises have been adopting mobile devices in recent years, especially during the height of the covid-19 pandemic when most employees were working from home.
However, this has come at a considerable security cost, forcing enterprises to address the current and future mobile security threats.
Mobile Security Threats to Modern Enterprises
Today’s enterprises have evolved significantly by adopting technology as the core infrastructure to their existing systems. But at what cost? This question should have probably been the most important one before adopting any emerging technology.
That said, Enterprises are finding themselves in a tricky position for adopting the use of mobile devices to access company information. Some of the information accessed remotely is very sensitive and could cost a dime if a hacker manages to steal the data.
In one instance, Checkpoint discovered a new and sophisticated attack where the malicious players compromised a large international corporation’s Mobile Device Management (MDM) system. The hackers used this MDM system to distribute malware to more than 75% of the corporation’s managed mobile devices.
Hackers are also using more complex phishing tactics such as SIM jacking to compromise enterprise networks. Victims are convinced to share their personal information, enabling the hackers to pose as them and intercept their mobile networks.
With more mobile threats on the Horizon, Checkpoint’s VP of Threat Prevention Neatsun Ziv was keen to advise enterprises on adopting security solutions, “There are more complex threats on the horizon. Cybercriminals are continuing to evolve and adapt their techniques to exploit our growing reliance on mobiles. Enterprises need to adopt mobile security solutions which seamlessly protect devices from today’s advanced cyber threats, and users should be careful to use only apps from official app stores to minimize their risk.”
Tackling Mobile Security Threats
While not all mobile attacks can be prevented, there are some solutions that enterprises can adopt to reduce their vulnerability to such attacks. Some enterprises are adopting Continuous Smartphone Authentication and going a notch higher to integrate biometric verifications and continuous multi-factor authentication (CMFA) systems.
We also have cyber security service providers such as Check Point, which offers solutions to leading corporations and government agencies. This cyber security firm features a security solution dubbed Harmony Mobile, a mobile defense threat solution designed to secure enterprise data by ensuring that employees’ mobile devices are protected from malicious attacks.
Moving up the ladder, there are more fundamental innovations, especially in the Blockchain space, where players are building quantum-resistant platforms to enhance the security of modern-day networks. QAN platform is one of these ecosystems; this hybrid quantum-resistant blockchain allows developers to deploy their private networks while leveraging its underlying quantum-resistant security.
Mobile security attacks have increased significantly within the past year as more corporate entities adopted remote working and bring your own device (BYOD) policies. According to a recent report by Check Point, 97% of enterprises in 2020 faced mobile security threats, while about 46% of companies had at least one employee that fell victim to a malicious mobile application.
This trend is likely to continue, given that an estimated 60% of the world’s workforce will be mobile by 2024. Enterprises have been adopting mobile devices in recent years, especially during the height of the covid-19 pandemic when most employees were working from home.
However, this has come at a considerable security cost, forcing enterprises to address the current and future mobile security threats.
Mobile Security Threats to Modern Enterprises
Today’s enterprises have evolved significantly by adopting technology as the core infrastructure to their existing systems. But at what cost? This question should have probably been the most important one before adopting any emerging technology.
That said, Enterprises are finding themselves in a tricky position for adopting the use of mobile devices to access company information.
Some of the information accessed remotely is very sensitive and could cost a dime if a hacker manages to steal the data. In one instance, Checkpoint discovered a new and sophisticated attack where the malicious players compromised a large international corporation’s Mobile Device Management (MDM) system.
The hackers used this MDM system to distribute malware to more than 75% of the corporation’s managed mobile devices. Hackers are also using more complex phishing tactics such as SIM jacking to compromise enterprise networks. Victims are convinced to share their personal information, enabling the hackers to pose as them and intercept their mobile networks.
With more mobile threats on the Horizon, Checkpoint’s VP of Threat Prevention Neatsun Ziv was keen to advise enterprises on adopting security solutions, “There are more complex threats on the horizon. Cybercriminals are continuing to evolve and adapt their techniques to exploit our growing reliance on mobiles. Enterprises need to adopt mobile security solutions which seamlessly protect devices from today’s advanced cyber threats, and users should be careful to use only apps from official app stores to minimize their risk.”
Tackling Mobile Security Threats
While not all mobile attacks can be prevented, there are some solutions that enterprises can adopt to reduce their vulnerability to such attacks. Some enterprises are adopting Continuous Smartphone Authentication and going a notch higher to integrate biometric verifications and continuous multi-factor authentication (CMFA) systems.
We also have cyber security service providers such as Check Point, which offers solutions to leading corporations and government agencies. This cyber security firm features a security solution dubbed Harmony Mobile, a mobile defense threat solution designed to secure enterprise data by ensuring that employees’ mobile devices are protected from malicious attacks.
Moving up the ladder, there are more fundamental innovations, especially in the blockchain space, where players are building quantum-resistant platforms to enhance the security of modern-day networks.
QAN platform is one of these ecosystems; this hybrid quantum-resistant blockchain allows developers to deploy their private networks while leveraging its underlying quantum-resistant security.
??️ @Entrepreneur: "Johann Polecsak, co-founder and CTO of @QANplatform discusses how #QuantumComputer attacks can be prevented, and what the company is working on to offer a way out of the problem."https://t.co/Kb2t9N56Hd#QANplatform $QANX
— QANplatform (@QANplatform) October 19, 2021
The QAN blockchain environment also features other functionalities such as rapid 1-click deployment, integrations with real-world data sources, multi-language development, a unique Consensus Algorithm and high-volume transactions. With blockchain networks becoming popular amongst enterprises, QAN is amongst the pioneer decentralized ecosystems to feature quantum-resistant security.
Wrap Up
Mobile security attacks against enterprises are not likely to reduce anytime soon. According to a statement by Verizon’s Business Mobile Chief Revenue Officer Sampath Sowmyanarayan, the shift to remote working presented hackers with more opportunities.
Consequently, there is a need for organizations to take a preventive approach in securing their employees’ mobile devices, “While businesses focused their efforts elsewhere, cybercriminals saw a wealth of new opportunities to strike. With the rise of the remote workforce and the spike in mobile device usage, the threat landscape changes, which for organizations, means there is a greater need to hone in on mobile security to protect themselves and those they serve,” he noted. The Checkpoint mobile security report also advised enterprises to allocate more resources towards securing their networks. In doing so, enterprises can reduce the threat of being hacked while building robust ecosystems in preparation for the ever-evolving hackers.
