Smartphone Users Not Implementing Security Measures

As we look in depth at the state of mobile security, I was very surprised to learn of the disconnect between smartphone users' knowledge that they should be taking steps to protect themselves from mobile security threats and their actions. An online survey conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance found that approximately 75 percent of respondents knew that there was a risk to their smartphones from hackers, but they were not being proactive about protecting themselves.

With nine out of ten smartphone users storing personal information on their handheld devices and over 80 percent of users indicating they were concerned about security issues, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me that consumers are not taking action. I also found it surprising that men were savvier about mobile security issues, while women were more focused on concerns about their privacy and potential threats.

The main area of concern for most smartphone owners (78 percent) was the phone getting lost or stolen and having its contents used for inappropriate purposes. Owners were also quite concerned about losing their password data, and most respondents stated that they would be willing to add security to their phone so that their banking and other sensitive information was protected.

Location tracking is another potential area for mobile security concern, and half of respondents stated that they knew how to turn off permissions for remote tracking. Almost all of those surveyed (95 percent) said that they believed that their location could be tracked by at least one entity while the phone is on.

Mobile Security and Consumer Behavior Poll Results Surprising

Recently, the results of a survey conducted by National Cyber Security Alliance were published, showing interesting trends in consumer behavior towards mobile security. The "Report on Consumer Behaviors and Perceptions of Mobile Security" looked at the answers given by 1,158 American smartphone users, and presented an interesting snapshot of how they view mobile security.

Most of the respondents (67 percent) cited protecting their passwords as their most pressing mobile security concern. The respondents' attitude toward their personal information was very interesting, I thought. While 90 percent mobile phone users realized their device contains personal information, only about one-third of those surveyed stated that they were very concerned this fact.

When it comes to protecting data pertaining to their work, respondents seemed relatively unconcerned. Only about 34 percent of individuals surveyed stated that they were very concerned about keeping information relating to their jobs safe.

These survey results underscore the idea that while smartphone users know that security threats exist, they do not know enough about the specifics to be concerned about them. Another gap in consumers' knowledge about smartphone technology is that device owners are not aware of the steps they need to take to protect themselves.

Since security issues for smartphone users are not going to go away, consumers need to be educated about what they can do to keep their personal data safe. The results of this study point to a disconnection between consumers' knowledge and about security issues and the steps they need to take to stay safe.

Mobile App Developers Must Keep Privacy Policies Simple

I think that a major component in doing business is establishing trust with the customer. When it comes to mobile marketing and mobile applications, developers need to be very clear about their privacy and security policies if they want to create it.

Consumers are concerned about what happens to their personal information, and I would say that they are right on the money to be cautious. Now that we are seeing mobile applications being used by healthcare workers, for example, the people developing these tools (which are designed to improve services to patients) need to be very conscious of the fact that medical records and other very personal information is being transmitted electronically.

I would think that basic privacy and security procedures that need to be followed in any instance would include things such as getting consent from users before collecting information from their social network profile. If an app tracks where a mobile device is located, the user needs to be aware of this so that he or she can decide whether to download it or not. Users also need to be aware of whether their personal information will be collected and shared with any third parties.

If mobile app developers keep consumer privacy and security issues in mind, this consideration will go a long way toward having the user feel more comfortable about downloading them. Mobile marketers also need to cover the privacy bases when they are developing plans for targeted consumer campaigns.

Consumers Awareness is Key for Avoiding Spammy QR Codes

I suppose it was only a matter of time before spammers figured out a way to use QR codes for their own purposes. Some savvy researchers at Websense have found spam that contains links to a site featuring QR codes.

QR codes can be thought of as a variation on the barcode. The benefit to companies using them is that they can store much more information than a standard barcode can, which makes them very useful for marketing purposes. A customer can use his or her smart phone to scan the QR code and be taken immediately to a website, a Facebook page, coupon, or a video.

This is a great way to engage with buyers and offer them more information about products that might interest them. It also encourages them to buy more products from the same company. The problem that I see with QR codes is that the person scanning them has no idea what information the client received until after they have completed the process.

Consumers also need to be aware that security consultants are pointing out that QR codes have the potential to be used for malware, and that this is already happening. As always, with matters to do with using computer technology, consumers need to be very careful about what they are scanning and looking at. Most QR codes are perfectly legitimate, but we can expect to see more instances involving spam over time.

Mobile Security Features a Necessity for Consumers

I read the results of a study conducted by PC World magazine with great interest. Of the 1,410 readers who responded, 65 percent stated that they felt mobile security is needed on smartphones and tablets. A full 57 percent of respondents stated they would be prepared to pay for this type of protection.  

Given the amount of personal information stored on a consumer’s smartphone or tablet, I think it’s important for owners to consider all reasonable measures to keep it secure, and this includes installing security software as it becomes available. 

The threat to a mobile device owner’s information can also come in the form of malware, which can be introduced to them when downloading seemingly innocent files. Desktop computer owners are already familiar with the idea that they need to have good quality virus protection software in place if they want to keep the device running properly. 

The results of the survey are further broken down between Android and iOS owners. People who chose Android were more likely to state that they understood the need for security software than consumers who have an iOS system. The iOS owners, on the other hand, were more likely to state they were willing to pay for software that would make their mobile devices more secure. Android tablet owners were more likely to state that security software was necessary than people who bought an iPad.