Society is reaching a high watermark in terms of mobile device usage, with 1.75 billion smartphone users worldwide as of 2014. With so many people using devices that regularly store and send personally-identifying information, the smartphone “craze” has but too few pondering mobile device security. Mobile Device Management, or MDM, is provided by IT services firms, but is not as widely utilized by mobile device users as should be the case. Remember that hackers aren’t just focusing on PCs and data center servers; they know the crowd has largely annexed much of their cybercommunications to their smartphones, iPads, and other mobile devices. And, in some ways, mobiles are easier to hack than heavily safeguarded servers and PCs.
Mass Mobile Device Usage Demands Precautions
We are crawling close to one-third of the world’s population regularly communicating on mobile devices. 2015 saw $22 billion dollars in mobile ad revenue generated, but comparatively little revenue from mobile device management and security. CIOs and CISOs of SMEs and larger companies use MDM strategies for employee use and security, but, this only covers mobile device susceptibility to hackers and other cyber attacks in the business arena. Like the search engine marketing trackers do, hackers and other saboteurs follow user habits on smartphones, and can also data-mine personal information, such as SSN’s, credit card and debit card numbers, and other data held hostage by ransomware in recent publicized cases.
Experts Weigh-In on Mobile Security Issue
Any good IT partner or MSP (Managed Services Provider) will tell you that it’s a mistake not to have some kind of personal MDM strategy in place, especially when dealing with things like credit card numbers, payer-payee transaction info, and other sensitive financial or personal information. Sure, they stress having it more for business mobile devices, but the trend in 2016 has moved strongly towards ALL mobile device users having a cloud backup system or other data security system in place. A recent article on LegalTechNews.com talks of how ransomware hackers are increasingly targeting mobile devices.
Mobile Devices Becoming a Mecca for Personal, Business, and Cyber Attacks
While it’s clear that mobile devices, as convenient and useful as they are, are now being regularly targeted by opportunistic cyber-thieves, what isn’t so clear is what exactly can befall a person whose personal and financial data gets hijacked. That’s why having an IT partner teaming up with your organization is actually a small price to pay for obviating such circumstances. CEOs, CFOs, and other executives absolutely should have all their data protected and backed-up, both on PCs and mobile devices. It’s all too easy for a sly and savvy hacker opportunist to target mobile phone users who have lots to lose when transmitting sensitive, proprietary data.
Entire Countries Now Stepping up Mobile Device Security
It’s not just executives and companies that are becoming regular targets of cyber attacks–entire countries are now on the ransomware hackers’ list as well. India and Japan are among those who have made the news recently, but other nations are joining the list. “TeslaCrypt” ransomware attacked nearly 12,000 users in India alone from March to May 2016. So, it’s clear you can’t be too careful or overly cautious when it comes to protecting all IT devices in your network with adequate cybersecurity measures.
Trust the IT Experts
While there is much to wring our hands about in the cybersecurity news, there is also much hope, in the form of IT partners who team up with you and your company to make sure hackers can’t get a foothold on your sensitive data. Veltec Networks is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at (408) 849-4441 or send us an email at info@veltecnetworks.com for more information.
