Security nightmare coming true.
For years, mobile was protected from security breaches by the diversity of proprietary phone OSs and the comparative lack of download activity.
Now, the frenzy around apps married to open platforms has turned the attention of the trouble makers to mobile.
Juniper Research has detected an across-the-board rise in security threats. Specifically it identified the following problems:
* Anti virus inactivity
The greatest distribution point for mobile malware is the app download, yet the vast majority of smartphone users are not employing an antivirus solution on their mobile device to scan for malware.
* Wi-Fi loophole
It's easier for an attack to be made via wi-fi.
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* The Text Threat
17 per cent of all reported infections were due to SMS trojans that sent SMS messages to premium rate numbers.
* Device Loss and Theft
One in 20 Juniper customer devices were lost or stolen, requiring locate, lock or wipe commands to be issued.
* Risky Teen Behavior
20 per cent of all teens admit sending inappropriate or explicit material from a mobile device.
* Android alert
The number of Android malware attacks increased 400 per cent since Summer 2010.
Dan Hoffman, chief mobile security evangelist at Juniper Networks, said: "These findings reflect a perfect storm of users who are either uneducated on or disinterested in security, downloading readily available applications from unknown and unvetted sources in the complete absence of mobile device security solutions.
"App store processes of reactively removing applications identified as malicious after they have been installed by thousands of users is insufficient as a means to control malware proliferation."
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