Attacks on mobile devices are surging. Last year, they increased by 50% compared to the previous year. This equates to nearly 33.8 million attacks in 2023
The Mobile Security Threat Landscape
There’s no sign of the threat slowing down, and businesses need to prepare. Mobile device attacks come in many different forms, including:
- Malware
- Zero-click
- Smashing
- Smishing
- Vishing
- Telephone-oriented attack delivery (TOAD)
- Malicious code in apps
- SIM hijacking
- Man-in-The-Middle (MiTM)
- Nuisanceware
- Spyware
- Ransomware
- Trojans
- Premium service dialers
An example of a serious mobile threat is the trojan, SpyNote, which uses smishing (SMS phishing) to target victims. Messages manipulate recipients into downloading a file and allowing permissions that infect the device with malicious code. Once downloaded, SpyNote records audio such as phone calls, device touches, and credentials.
These attacks have serious consequences, leading to financial, legal, and reputational losses.
What is Mobile Threat Defense?
Mobile threat defense is a service offered by cybersecurity companies and some telecom expense management providers to protect smartphones, tablets, and laptops from cyber threats.
Mobile threat defense typically includes the following features:
- Protection and monitoring against known and unknown threats, including phishing, malicious apps, unsafe network connections, and device compromise.
- Coverage for managed and unmanaged iOS, Android, and ChromeOS devices.
- Ability to enforce zero trust policies to any device with access to corporate data to minimize risk.
- Session monitoring to assess the risk posture of every user. If the session is deemed risky, it will automatically end, informing users why.
- Telemetry analysis, detection, and response to anomalous behavior.
- Advanced domain analysis and encryption.
- Access control and device management, including app protection, password requirements, and encryption settings for proper configuration.
These solutions provide comprehensive protection to safeguard your employees from a range of cyber threats. This allows them to work without interruption and protects your business from the negative repercussions of a cyberattack.
Who Benefits From Mobile Threat Defense?
Every organization that provides mobile devices for their employees to access company data would benefit from a mobile threat defense solution. However, there are some industries that manage more personally identifiable information (PII) than others and are therefore more likely to be a target of cybercrime. Examples include:
- Healthcare. Handling sensitive patient data across several locations and practitioners to deliver better patient experiences.
- Finance. Financial institutions are entrusted with extremely sensitive data, life savings, paychecks, etc.
- Insurance. Using mobile devices to assess damage and build reports as part of claims handling.
- Manufacturing. Operations rely heavily on devices for inventory management, equipment monitoring, and quality control. An attack could halt production and have a knock-on effect on logistics partners, suppliers, and customers.
- Logistics and delivery services. Organizations such as DoorDash and UPS operate based on delivery and order data access. Drivers also use mobile devices to capture signatures and photos of delivered orders and parcels.
Mobile Threat Defense Packages
Enterprises can secure their mobile devices by procuring a dedicated service, adding the service to their cybersecurity solution, or working with a trusted telecom expense management partner.
In some cases, your telecom expense management provider will offer mobile threat defense as part of their managed mobility services (MMS).
In addition to comprehensive threat monitoring and analysis, organizations benefit from strategy, procurement, deployment, and management support across the mobile device lifecycle. Any device that accesses your corporate network is covered, including employee-owned devices.
Monitoring device security via managed mobility services helps your organization maximize its return on investment, as a reliable telecom expense management partner will:
- Provide end-to-end support to manage device lifecycle
- Assist with contract negotiation and continuous plan optimization
- Have an existing view of all mobile devices to quickly implement changes
- Offer localized support, globally, for high standards of customer service
Secure Your Mobile Devices Today
With the ever-growing threat of compromised mobile security at the hands of cybercriminals, there's no time to lose.
If you are ready to explore mobile threat defense as part of a comprehensive managed mobility service, please reach out to the experts at Cass.
Topics: TEM, Vendor Management
