Mobile IT threats increasing 'tremendously'

"Right now the threats in the mobile industry are increasing tremendously; we saw it within the last 4-5 years, since the introduction of smart phones. These threats have started to become more complicated and have started to adapt different technologies in order to be able to target a wider range of mobile devices," Tarek Kuzbari, managing director, Kaspersky Labs Middle East tells AMEinfo.com.

"When we look at security we have to cover it from different angles, we can't put in a very strong front door and leave the windows open in our houses, we need complete protection for all sides of the network. So if smart phones have access to the network then you have to protect them," he adds.

Mobile IT technology evolving fast

Mobile devices have evolved in recent years from basic cell phones to internet connected devices which can access VPN via the enterprise network. Essentially smart phones now are like computers and carry a huge risk of data loss.

"The enterprise borders have disappeared with the advance of mobile technologies. Many corporations depend on a mobile workforce with mobile devices which can help transact major components of the businesses. Of course, with the increased popularity and advanced technology of mobile devices, the threats increased exponentially too," Bulent Teksoz, regional technology manager, Symantec, tells AMEinfo.com.

These threats stem from the challenge in regulating smart phones, which are not part of a company's core IT system. "Unlike PCs, which are provisioned and managed centrally by IT as part of the enterprise's IT infrastructure, smart phones are easily introduced to a company's network with little or no control over the data, applications, and resources present on the device," explains Essam Ahmed, team leader, systems engineers, McAfee.

In the past, employees having company laptops stolen or losing them has been a great danger to a firm's IT security. While this is still a problematic area, firms must also now worry about employees losing smart phones, due to the amount of data stored on them. "Losing smart phones on the corporate side is becoming more and more dangerous. The information that employees are keeping on these smart phones, you can access CRM systems, sales figures, a lot of information can now be accessed from mobile devices and that is why it's becoming more important to provide protection for these devices," says Kuzbari.

Mobile banking increases cause concerns

There is further cause for alarm on the consumer side of the mobile phone industry, as mobile banking increases rapidly. According to a recent report from Juniper Research, the number of mobile subscribers who use their phones for mobile banking is set to reach 400 million globally by 2013, which will be double the number seen this year. The research also reveals that over 80% of banks are currently offering some form of mobile banking. With access to bank accounts on mobile phones so prevalent, the need for security on mobile devices is only going to increase with it.

Despite this, few companies in the Middle East are protecting their businesses from these threats. "Most organisations have a way to go before reaching the point where they are taking precautions to secure smart phones as they would a traditional endpoint device, and therefore cannot track or manage which devices are hooked up to the network," reveals Ahmed.

Until companies in the region sign up to this protection, the dangers of smart phones in a business, may outweigh the positives. "Corporations didn't care much before if the CEO lost his phone at an airport, because all the phone contained in terms of data was probably the phonebook and some text messages. However, these mobile devices now hold tremendous amount of company confidential data, that if lost, would simply mean a possible end to that business," Teksoz concludes.