The mobile security threats are very much real and are gaining global momentum across industrial sectors and these are dominating the current mobile security trends. Malware, phishing attacks, malicious apps, and data leakage are just a few of the troubles that companies are struggling to combat. With the rising usage of mobile phones in enterprise scenarios, the dangers of compromised mobile security are lurking just around the corner and even the biggest brands are feeling the heat of cyber attacks and mobile threats.
Leading business and security analysts are hence advising business leaders to invest considerably in Mobile Threat Defense, owing to the ever-growing malware attack incidents that took place in 2021. Today’s mobile security concerns have doubled due to the sophisticated nature of security threats and attacks and the obscurity of common detection techniques.
Mobile Security Threats: Top 7 Trends to Watch in 2022
Mobility and digital leaders can no longer ignore the fact that security threats and data leakage can cost millions to a company. So, it is always advisable to stay updated about the risks and vulnerabilities that are dominating the mobile security environment, the knowledge of which can very well help the companies to stay one step ahead of the probable attacks and seizures.
1. Malevolent sites to get easy SSL certificates
Most of us follow the common practice of relying on a website that has a padlock icon in the URL bar, which simply implies that it is a secure website to visit. But as more and more companies are using this technique to prove their security feature, hackers are taking this opportunity to get an SSL certificate while covering their tracks. Obtaining an SSL certificate is fairly easy, and several issuers provide it at real cheap prices and some also give it free to avoid any tracking of payment option or genuine PII (Personally Identifiable Information) to exchange hands.
This is becoming a common tactic for hackers to lure visitors into their websites by creating a fall sense of security and can be taken as the most common mobile security trend.
2. Mobile posing challenge to GDPR compliance
Mobile devices are the biggest third-party data collectors where every user’s activities like locations, visited websites, brand interactions, and search histories are stored and analyzed in order to simplify and personalize user experience and provide more options to choose from. But lately, companies like Google and Facebook came to the forefront for issues like the mishandling of user data and this phenomenon doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. In 2022 as well the tug of war between user data privacy and company business convenience will continue to create more complex situations where mobile data security will find it challenging to follow GDPR compliances.
This asks for organizations to stay aware and careful about the distribution of corporate, customer, and employee information across mobile devices and monitor the pathways to ensure authorized usage of these data.
3. Mobile phishing attacks will grow and mature
This year will witness a new rise in mobile phishing attacks, which is predicted to become more sophisticated and effective, luring users to click on malicious weblinks, open infected files, and download malware from email attachments or even SMS. After the risks of unsecured WiFi connections, phishing attack as an emphatic mobile security trend has scored 2nd place as the most dominant network threat for mobiles devices.
The nature of phishing attacks is becoming more personal and prolific in 2022 where the attackers are reaching people directly through text messages or through messaging or social media apps, which are out of reach from the common email phishing protection measures. This is exposing the employees to face yet another unpredictable mobile threat that exploits the user’s curiosity urges.
4. The rising threats of mobile malware attacks
This year has witnessed a tremendous rise in malware attacks where hackers have focused their attention to attack smartphones with tricks like surveillance, credential theft, and malicious advertisements. In fact, according to a major digital publication, the cyberattacks aimed at mobile devices have grown by 50% in the first half of 2022 when compared with the last year’s numbers. As per reports and leading analysts, the usage of banking applications can be attributed to this sharp rise in malware attacks, which has made cybercriminals keen to steal payment data, misuse login credentials, and finally withdraw victims’ funds from bank accounts.
A wider threat landscape has been discovered, which is involved in distributing the malware open to be purchased from builders in underground forums. Some major malware threats that companies should be aware of are Anubis banking trojan, Triada, and Lotoor.
Also Read: What is Mobile Threat Defense and What Companies Should Know?
5. The overbearing risks of ransomware trojans
Top researchers and their latest reports mention it clearly that ransomware attacks will only continue to grow and mature, and it is evident by the fact that the first quarter of 2022 has witnessed skyrocketed incidents of trojan-based infections. Although the traditional ways of using ransomware are not earning good money for the hackers, thanks to the educational efforts made by cybersecurity officials, the attackers continue to invent and explore newer and sophisticated ways to manipulate mobile users. A growth in popularity has already been observed in the case of multimodular trojans, crypto mining, and ransomware.
In fact, lately, trojan malware attacks are more focused on hacking business and enterprise endpoints as is evident by the growing number of trojan detection, which has increased by more than 200% in 2022 than from last year. So this mobile security trend is surely going to make some noises this year.
6. Attempts to seize connected objects will increase
As per expert predictions, the number of IoT-connected devices is going to go up by 17% in the next 7 years. Today, users can control several home-based objects like heaters, locking systems, electric switches, cars, and security cameras remotely from the mobile device via a single mobile app. Pradeo Lab has recently conducted a study including a sample of 100 IoT mobile apps that are readily available on Google Play and the App Store.
It found out that 15% of the audited apps are susceptible to Man-in-the-Middle attacks appearing in the form of add-on games or customization tools, which allow the hackers to take over the entire connected system. It is imperative for individuals as well as companies who are leveraging IoT to create a connected environment to be aware of these impending threats and take flawless measures to thwart any attacks made by cybercriminals. TimpDoor can be cited as an example of such an Android-based malware attack.
7. AI will be a must-have security functionality
Ideally, cybersecurity technologies use two fundamental capabilities to fight back cybercrime – first by analyzing the nature and behavior of cyber threats and secondly by finding ways to block them. Companies are spending dollars to detect threats and prevent them from attacking. But the increasingly complex nature of cyber threats like zero-day malware, trojans, and ransomware need to be dealt with something beyond human intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence has proven to be quite meaningful in countering its impact. It does so by applying machine learning, deep learning, and other top-notch techniques to simulate human accuracy in automatic detection of cyber-attacks, that too on a large scale. AI tools have become key components for easily predicting future threats and in providing relevant countermeasures to prevent them from disrupting the business.
All these current mobile security trends indicate the growing necessity of stricter and more comprehensive mobility regulations that should be imposed by government authorities and followed by organizations. In fact, if predictions are to be believed, 2022 will witness new industry-related and general data privacy laws and governance, which will have a special application dedicated to mobility to strictly oversee the pattern of mobile usage by far and large.
Companies should be aware that when it comes to securing their enterprise devices, nothing works better than a powerful, context-aware, and intuitive Mobile Device Management solution.
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