Keeping Devices Safe Amid the Rise of Cyber Attacks
In today's interconnected world, digital ecosystems in the mobile phone sector have become the backbone of our technological interactions.
These ecosystems, comprising operating systems, app stores, cloud services, and payment systems, work in concert to deliver seamless user experiences across a multitude of devices.
Yet, as these networks grow increasingly complex, they present both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges in the realm of cybersecurity.
The evolving landscape of mobile ecosystems
The mobile ecosystem has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, expanding far beyond simple communication devices to encompass a vast array of interconnected services and applications.
This evolution has been driven by technological advancements and changing user expectations, with smartphones becoming central hubs for personal and professional activities.
Yet as their complexity of use has increased, becoming more mini computers than phones, the industry is grappling to keep these pockets of personal information secure.
These concerns underscore the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures in safeguarding the integrity of mobile ecosystems.
The cybersecurity imperative
"Research published earlier this year by Kaspersky claimed that there were 33.8m cyber attacks impacting mobile devices in 2023, a 50% increase year over year,” says Bernard Montel, EMEA Technical Director and Security Strategist at Tenable.
These attacks, like with more complex computing systems, can take various forms. Malware infections, phishing attempts, and exploits targeting vulnerabilities in mobile operating systems and applications all represent an entry for an attacker to gain access to your device and personal information.
Yet, unlike with computers, many users remain unaware of the cyber risks mobile devices have, and thus, the instance of cybersecurity softwares or good cyber hygiene like regularly updating their devices and applications leave them exposed to vulnerabilities.
This surge in attacks is not limited to smartphones alone. The Internet of Things (IoT) has expanded the attack surface considerably, with cybercriminals increasingly targeting web-enabled devices, routers, and other embedded systems.
Montel cites the example of the P2Pinfect botnet variant discovered in December 2023, which specifically targets IoT devices, integrating them into botnets for malicious purposes such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
From smart home appliances to industrial sensors, these devices often prioritise functionality and cost-effectiveness over robust security measures. Often, due to their sheer scale, they run with simple passwords, outdated firmware, and limited processing power, which makes implementing sophisticated security protocols challenging.
This shows the increased interest in attackers going after endpoints either as a way to gain access to the wider network, or to extract data from the device itself.
Strategies for enhanced mobile security
In response to these growing threats, industry stakeholders are adopting multifaceted approaches to bolster the security of mobile ecosystems:
Tenable advocates for a preventive cybersecurity strategy known as 'exposure management'.
This approach focuses on strengthening defences to thwart successful attacks and incursions before they occur. Knowing what is connected to the network, what capacity they have, and what their regular pattern of behaviour is in order to spot aberrations.
“Our goal is to arm every organisation, no matter how large or small, with the visibility and insight needed to answer four critical questions at all times.” Bernard explains. “Where are we exposed? Where should we prioritise based on risk? Are we reducing our exposure over time? How do we compare to our peers?”
The introduction of new regulations, such as the EU's Cyber Resilience Act, aims to improve the protection of IoT devices by imposing a 'duty of care' on manufacturers throughout a product's lifetime.
However, Montel cautions against complacency, stressing that compliance alone does not guarantee optimal protection.
“Each business and facility is ultimately responsible for defining and implementing secure processes to reliably protect their infrastructures - including IoT devices,” he says.
Securing devices for the future
As the mobile sector continues to evolve, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated.
The interconnected nature of digital ecosystems means that vulnerabilities in one area can have far-reaching consequences across the entire network.
Although the challenge ahead looms large, regulatory pressure, an awakening to the growing threat level and proliferation of devices have lead enterprises to understand the importance of keeping devices, both large and small, safe in order to ensure the resilience and trustworthiness of mobile ecosystems in the years to come.
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