Tag: smartphone security

Cross-platform mobile security solution unveiled by BlackBerry

| March 19, 2013

BlackBerry Mobile SecurityBlackBerry expands its boundaries in mobile security

Mobile security continues to grow as a very serious issue facing consumers and businesses alike. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on mobile technology, protection against malicious parties is becoming a prominent focus of many producers of mobile devices. BlackBerry, formerly Research In Motion, is one of the companies that has been focusing more heavily on mobile security. BlackBerry has long been a provider of enterprise-level security solutions for its line of mobile devices, but now the company is beginning to expand its boundaries by making solutions available for other mobile platforms.

New solution aims to make mobile devices more secure

BlackBerry has unveiled its Secure Work Space, a new mobile security solution designed for platforms other than that developed by BlackBerry. The company recently celebrated the launch of its highly anticipated BlackBerry Z10, which has been well received by the company’s loyal enterprise clients. The security solution enables a higher degree of protection for enterprise and personal consumers. Unlike BlackBerry’s previous security solutions, however, Secure Work Space is not exclusive to the BlackBerry platform.

Secure Work Space available for Android and iOS

Secure Work Space is being made available to both the Android and iOS platforms. Both of these platforms are somewhat more popular among consumers than BlackBerry, but this has not deterred the company from providing mobile security solutions for its competitors. Because these platforms are beginning to account for the distribution of valuable data, such as financial information, the need for comprehensive security solutions is becoming more prolific. In making a cross-platform mobile security solution, BlackBerry believes that it can help people protect the information that is trafficked through their smartphones and tablets.

Mobile commerce highlights importance of mobile security

The Secure Work Space is expected to be made available by the end of June this year. One of the reasons mobile security has been becoming a more serious is because of mobile commerce. More people are becoming comfortable with the idea of using their mobile device to make payments, thus increasing the risk of financial information being targeted by malicious parties that would exploit such information.

Mobile security suffers a blow from new hacking trend

| March 8, 2013

Hackers Mobile SecurityMobile security becoming a serious issue as hackers find way to exploit Google Play

A new trend is emerging in the world of malware, and it is targeting the Android platform. Hackers are beginning to work their way into Google Play by disguising their malware as legitimate applications. Typically, Google can remove these applications from the Play store with relative ease, but many hackers are hijacking Play accounts from legitimate developers to avoid Google’s own protection methods. This trend could be a major blow against the Android and the platforms ongoing fight in the realm of mobile security.

Google may be unable to keep up with emerging trends in the mobile security space

Mobile security is quickly becoming more important than physical security. The information consumers share through their mobile devices is very valuable, especially to those that know how to exploit such information. Given that mobile technology is relatively new, the security of mobile devices and mobile applications has yet to mature. While Google has taken steps to ensure the security of the Play marketplace, many hackers have found a way to completely circumvent the company’s endeavors in mobile security.

Hackers target developers and not just consumers

Many hackers are beginning to target legitimate developers rather than just consumers. Developer Play accounts are being hijacked and used to distribute applications disguised as safe pieces of software. In many cases, this malware is actually being marketed as mobile security software for smartphones and tablets. Hacking a developer Play account is not the only method that malicious parties are using to gain access to consumers. Some are simply buying these accounts from developers outright.

Developers offered funds for each malicious application they publish to Google Play

Some hacking groups are offering $100 to developers with verified Play accounts for each malicious application they publish. Google charges developers $25 to put an application on the Play marketplace, which can be a hefty sum for small scale developers that do not have a strong presence in the mobile market. Hackers are preying on these developers by offering them a financial incentive to distribute malicious applications and circumvent the mobile security protections that Google has put in place.