How Safe Is Your Smartphone?
While malicious viruses, worms and spyware continue to plague unprotected computers and laptops, your smartphone may not be as safe as you think it is. As smartphones become more prevalent and better at handling tasks like trading stocks, paying bills and buying stuff online, that makes them much more attractive to hackers looking to steal personal data.
Smartphone attacks, such as the so-called Rick Astley worm that hit certain iPhones and turned their wallpaper into an image of the 80's pop music star, can be launched through app stores, the web, and email. Similar worms can be used to gain access to a users email and SMS messages, calendar appointments, contacts, and photos-and use that information to steal personal data.
At the end of the day, smartphones are vulnerable to the same kinds of attacks that have invaded PCs and laptops. In fact, a 2009 Trend Micro survey revealed that one in five smartphone owners has already encountered at least one phishing scam, in which hackers posed as a bank or other institution to collect personal information.
And what happens if you lose your smartphone? Unless your device is protected by authentication or some form of intrusion detection, a lost or misplaced smartphone could easily be hacked and your confidential information stolen.
The bottom line: treat your smartphone like your home computer. If you want to keep it safe from the latest threats, you need protection you can trust. Trend Micro offers Mobile Security that protects smartphones from data loss, infections, and attacks—and authentication defends your data if happen to lose your smartphone. Read more about Trend Micro Mobile Security.
Trend Micro also offers free protection for the iPhone and iPod Touch through the iPhone App Store. It prevents mobile devices from unintentionally visiting Web sites that may contain malicious content. Read more about Smart Surfing for the iPhone.
