Risky Business-Increased Threats to Mobile Devices Make Businesses More Vulnerable to Data Breaches

Malicious code can now infect mobile devices in a virtually undetectable manner. Businesses that permit employees and other personnel to use mobile devices for work-related activities without taking proper security measures face possible liability for breaching legal standards of care. Recently, the Android operating system has come under scrutiny after experts discovered a significant vulnerability in its security allowing hackers free rein of the device.

Android's vulnerability permits malware to penetrate a device through a simple text message, giving the hacker access to information stored on the device, and even allows hackers to enable the camera. The majority of malware created for mobile devices are designed for the Android system, as opposed to Apple's iOS. But iOS-based devices are not immune. All mobile devices are at risk.

Malware infiltration of mobile devices will continue to advance as more hackers develop malicious code tailored to specific devices' operating systems. For this reason, it is crucial that businesses implement policies and procedures to protect business data stored or transmitted on mobile devices, such as requiring installation of encryption or anti-virus programs and running regular software updates.