Infographic: The myth about smartphone invulnerability

Contrary to popular belief, the user-programmable miniature yet powerful mobile devices used for carrying data, sending e-mails, social networking, banking, gaming, downloading music and video aided with the rampant use of third party software, are not invincible. There are increasing problems from applications that upload malware or exploit vulnerabilities in new operating systems, either inadvertently or deliberately.

In a mad haste to market the products and offer increased functionality, neither mobile devices, corresponding software nor applications are designed with security as a priority. With less education about mobile threats and the lack of security on these devices, users seem more inclined to fall victim to them during mobile sessions. In 2010, around 2500 different types of malware were reported and in 2011 the number quadrupled. This makes it essential to create a culture for mobile security.

Rahul Thadani