According to the reports of India cyber threat report in 2023 & Quickheal, smartphones in India faced three cyberattacks per month on average.
These days, almost everyone has a mobile device as it has become a necessity to sustain in this world, increasing the attack surface. Spending a second without your mobile seems like an unimaginable task as you need it for calling or messaging your friends, entertainment purposes, checking sports, banking, and yeah, so much more.
But what you may not know about these devices is that along with all the smart benefits, it is surfacing as one of the fastest-growing attack spaces. According to a report by financial express, four out of ten mobile devices are vulnerable to cyberattacks. However, managed security device services have proved to be more effective in securing the devices.
If you wonder what makes them a great deal of attraction for cybercriminals and how you can stay safe from such Data breaches & attacks while using your mobile phones, keep reading this blog as we have mentioned everything about Wireless and mobile device cyberattacks, you need to know about!
A mobile phone attack can be described as an unauthorized action or exploitation activity done using artificial intelligence and machine learning, with the motive to compromise a device’s data integrity, functionality & device’s security. This can involve stealing sensitive information, hijacking resources for malicious purposes, tracking user activities, or disrupting normal operations.
You take your mobile phones wherever you go, and they get exposed to more Mobile networks on a daily basis. Not to mention the fact that mobile phones contain a great deal of personal information and give various access to cybercriminals.
By assessing your phone, cybercriminals can get the bank details, email, social media accounts, text messages, and other sensitive information. It is like using one device the cybercriminals can get access to all your personal information.
Below are some of common Cyber threats!
A phishing attack involves sending fraudulent messages to a victim via mediums like SMS, or email, which appear to be from reputable sources with the goal of tempting recipients into revealing confidential information like passwords or financial details (Dr/credit card) or downloading some kind of malicious software.
Malware involves the usage of malicious software or programs designed specially to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a victim’s computer Operating systems or networks using spyware, trojans, ransomware, worms, and last but not least a virus.
This is one of the common and effective attacks done primarily to destroy a computer resource of users by flooding it with heavy traffic causing it to crash.
Below are some of the few mobile device attacks!
There are high risks of connecting your device with unsecured or open Wi-Fi networks like potential eavesdropping or data intercepting by malicious actors.
This is one of the most common types of attacks on mobile devices!
A cybercriminal creates fake wi-fi networks or tries to manipulate DNS settings with a motive to intercept and manipulate data traffic. This can result in data theft or users being redirected to malicious websites.
Attackers mainly use these social engineering techniques to entice mobile users into submitting confidential info such as Passwords or finance details.
It is a kind of virus installed on a user’s device without their consent to steal data, monitor, and get remote control of their devices.
Attackers can easily exploit weak or improperly executed encryption methods to intercept and decrypt sensitive data transmission that occurs between devices or over networks.
If sessions are not handled properly, it can lead to vulnerabilities that can get manipulated or hijacked by attackers to gain unauthorized access.
The data security can be compromised in case your device gets stolen leading to unauthorized use or access to sensitive information.
Involves the usage of malicious Mobile apps like adware or software to track communications, activities, and locations of a user without their consent or knowledge.
Here the software is displayed as a legitimate app or files to steal login credentials or even control devices remotely.
Vulnerabilities in your MDM server can grant an attacker access to your managed devices, leading to manipulation, data leakage, malware distribution & more.
Includes the possibility of intercepting and altering the communication between the two parties without their knowledge. Here, malicious actors position themselves between the device and the network it’s communicating with.
Spreads majorly via email, websites crippling a small and medium business and individuals by locking their devices or files and then demanding money to unlock them.
This is a Mobile threat type, that only uses SMS as a medium to trick users into sharing their personal information or clicking on malicious links.
Here, the attacker is searching for vulnerable Wi-fi networks & normally is equipped with the device for this purpose.
Here WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption gets exploited to intercept and decrypt data on Wi-Fi networks.
Here, an attacker will try exploiting weaknesses in WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption protocols to gain unauthorized access to Wi-Fi networks.
Sending annoying, unsolicited advertising messages to a bluetooth enabled device with the range.
As the name suggests, It consists of Capturing data transmitted over a network and replaying it, specially to spoof identities.
Trying to get access to the contacts, numbers or other stored data of a bluetooth enabled machine.
Includes disrupting wireless signals such as bluetooth, wifi deny service or prevent communication in a targeted area.
Below are some of the surefire signs you should look for:
– High Data usage
– Rapid battery drain
– Sluggish performance
– unexpected pop-ups or new apps
– Extra charges on your bill
Now you must know why mobile phones are more prone to cyber-attacks, so what can you do to ensure that your mobile phones are secure?
Follow the following tip that we recommend.
If you receive an email or invitation to click on a URL that lures you around to win a prize or a free holiday trip, then please don’t click the link. These suspicious emails can lead to cybercrime and may release viruses in your mobile device.
Almost all the applications require access to your mobile phone’s photos, contacts, and camera. Until and unless they are from a safe application provider, do not click on the link as it can get you in big trouble. Also, ensure that while you are granting the permissions, they match the purpose of the downloaded application.
When you connect your device to the free public WiFi network, make sure to check with the staff what the official name of the network is and how secure it is. Cyber attackers can introduce fake WiFi access that would look similar to the original name. For instance, “sh0pping mall” instead of “shopping mall”. Such fake WiFi networks can ask you to provide sensitive information and then, later on, sell it on the dark web.
To manage devices and ensure premier-level security, we recommend installing an anti-malware application to defend you from malware in app stores and enhance your mobile device security. Such devices can give a triggered alarm when it finds something suspicious and wipes off the chances to get attacked. In addition, it will also keep on updating your operating system to fix vulnerabilities.
Educate employees about all the risks and to only connect to a trusted private network to safeguard data.
By implementing the above measures, using data science for threat analysis & maintaining vigilance can for sure enhance your mobile security.
Android is more susceptible than IOS due to its open ecosystem, which means lots of sources to download a particular app apart from Google Play Store, updates at varying speeds & favorite choice of an attacker due to their wider market share.
– Hospitality
– Public Sector
– Healthcare
– Retail and financial services
Mobile devices may offer us great conveniences, but we also cannot deny the fact that they are more susceptible to cyberattacks. Proper network security measures like taking the help of our managed device service from our cyber security experts, can secure you from mobile security threats and protect your personal information and data safe from malicious sources.
