Mobile security threats include both physical and software-based threats that can compromise the data on smartphones, tablets and similar mobile devices. Mobile security threats include everything from mobile forms of malware and spyware to the potential for unauthorized access to a device s data, particularly in the case of accidental loss or theft of the device.
Mobile malware and spyware security threats can access a device s private data without a user s knowledge or consent and can also perform malicious actions without the user knowing, including transferring control of the device to a hacker, sending unsolicited messages to the device s contacts, making expensive phone calls on smartphones, and more.
Physical Mobile Security Threats and Other Types of Threats
When it comes to physical mobile security threats, phones that lack passwords, screen locks or other forms of authentication are vulnerable to unauthorized access, which can compromise sensitive information stored on the mobile device. And if the device gets lost or stolen, hackers can bypass many forms of authentication in order to gain access to the device s sensitive information.
Additional types of mobile security threats include applications that take advantage of vulnerabilities in the mobile operating system or a mobile application to gain access and/or control of the device, phishing scams, Web browser and network-based exploits, Wi-Fi packet sniffing for accessing mobile device data in transit, and more.
