Few people consider a mobile device risk for a business. However, smartphones and tablets have become a critical part of everyone’s daily social and business lives. Similar to laptops and desktop workstations, mobile devices allow employees to remotely access corporate data and applications instantly from anywhere, anytime. These mobile devices have made business professionals’ life so much easier, allowing them to take their offices with them.
However, keep in mind that conducting business remotely isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. They also pose a significant cyber risk to the company’s confidential data. With the increasing reliance on mobile phones, malware attacks aimed at mobile devices – Android handsets in particular – have seen a significant rise this year.
Below are some of the major security risks that mobile devices pose to corporate networks and businesses. Let’s have a quick look at them.
Biggest Threats and Risks Mobile Devices Poses to Businesses
Following are the major cybersecurity risks that pose an enormous security threat for companies.
- Malware Attacks on Mobile Devices
Malware, or malicious software, is a program or file designed by hackers and cybercriminals to cause damage to a computer and steal sensitive information without the user’s consent. A wide array of malicious software variants exist, computer viruses, ransomware, Trojan horses, worms, spyware, and adware. According to cybersecurity experts, the increased use of mobile banking applications is one of the root causes behind the sharp rise in malware attacks against mobile devices.
2. Data Leakage or Identify Theft – A mobile device risk
Since mobile devices contain vast amounts of personal as well as company’s confidential data, data leakage and credential theft is becoming a growing concern. Hackers and cyber attackers usually use malware-infected applications to infiltrate devices and steal data as most smartphone users grant all kinds of permissions to the applications without carefully reading the terms of use.
3. Phishing Attacks on Mobile platforms
Phishing is the fraudulent attempt to gain authorized access to the victim’s device and steal sensitive data by masquerading oneself as a reputable object or person in an electronic communication. Smartphone users are much more vulnerable to phishing attacks since they read their email or text messages or so frequently. In addition, mobile devices have a smaller screen compared to laptops or workstations that makes it easier for spammers to lure individuals into providing sensitive information, such as usernames, credit card details, etc.
