With 87 percent of American adults owning cellphones (according to Pew Research Center), 45 percent possessing smartphones, 26 percent toting e-book readers and 31 percent owning tablet computers, it's safe to say the majority of Americans use a mobile device. But how safe are those devices from hackers and identity thieves?
Mobile malware threats soared 163 percent in 2012, according to a security report by NQ Mobile Inc., a mobile Internet services provider. More than 65,000 mobile malware threats infected nearly 33 million Android devices last year, NQ reports. That's a 200 percent increase from 2011.
Anti-viral and anti-malware software isn't always effective at protecting mobile devices, either. A recent study by Northwestern University and North Carolina State University found that popular mobile antivirus applications were vulnerable to some very basic evasion techniques favored by malware writers.
Security experts point out that many mobile users - especially smartphone users - carry a great deal of personal identifying and financial information on their devices. Losing the actual device, while disastrous enough, isn't the whole story when it comes to risks associated with mobile use. Downloading the wrong app, visiting a suspect website and opening a malicious email can all expose users to identity theft attacks. In fact, the NQ report found that bad apps, malicious URLs and smishing - bogus text messages designed to swindle information out of unsuspecting users - were the top three means of delivering malware to mobile devices in 2012.
So how can you protect your mobile device from cyber attacks such as identity theft and fraud? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has compiled guidelines for health care providers - who face substantial risks related to medical identity theft - that make sense for all mobile device users.
The department advises mobile users to employ device security. This can include passwords and other user authentication techniques such as PINS or pass codes, and automatic screen locking after a set period of inactivity. If your mobile device has built-in encryption capabilities, use them, and install an encryption tool if it doesn't already have one. Consider using remote wiping or disabling software that allows you to lock or completely remove sensitive information from a lost or stolen device.
Avoid using file-sharing on your mobile device, because it increases the risk of the wrong person accessing private information on your mobile. Use anti-viral, anti-malware and firewall software designed for your mobile device, and keep all security software up to date.
Finally, be very careful about what you download. There's an app for everything, but not all the millions of apps available - both free and those you pay for - are on the up-and-up. Some contain coding that can allow cyber crooks to steal your important information. Thoroughly vet any app before you download it.
Mobile malware threats soared 163 percent in 2012, according to a security report by NQ Mobile Inc., a mobile Internet services provider. More than 65,000 mobile malware threats infected nearly 33 million Android devices last year, NQ reports. That's a 200 percent increase from 2011.
Anti-viral and anti-malware software isn't always effective at protecting mobile devices, either. A recent study by Northwestern University and North Carolina State University found that popular mobile antivirus applications were vulnerable to some very basic evasion techniques favored by malware writers.
Security experts point out that many mobile users - especially smartphone users - carry a great deal of personal identifying and financial information on their devices. Losing the actual device, while disastrous enough, isn't the whole story when it comes to risks associated with mobile use. Downloading the wrong app, visiting a suspect website and opening a malicious email can all expose users to identity theft attacks. In fact, the NQ report found that bad apps, malicious URLs and smishing - bogus text messages designed to swindle information out of unsuspecting users - were the top three means of delivering malware to mobile devices in 2012.
So how can you protect your mobile device from cyber attacks such as identity theft and fraud? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has compiled guidelines for health care providers - who face substantial risks related to medical identity theft - that make sense for all mobile device users.
The department advises mobile users to employ device security. This can include passwords and other user authentication techniques such as PINS or pass codes, and automatic screen locking after a set period of inactivity. If your mobile device has built-in encryption capabilities, use them, and install an encryption tool if it doesn't already have one. Consider using remote wiping or disabling software that allows you to lock or completely remove sensitive information from a lost or stolen device.
Avoid using file-sharing on your mobile device, because it increases the risk of the wrong person accessing private information on your mobile. Use anti-viral, anti-malware and firewall software designed for your mobile device, and keep all security software up to date.
Finally, be very careful about what you download. There's an app for everything, but not all the millions of apps available - both free and those you pay for - are on the up-and-up. Some contain coding that can allow cyber crooks to steal your important information. Thoroughly vet any app before you download it.