Malware on Your Smartphone

As we move more towards tablets and smartphones to get things done, the malware makers of the world start writing more for these platforms. Many people can be under the false assumption that malware and viruses can only infect your PC, and that phones and tablets are safe from these types of threats. However, you must always be vigilant in protecting your data from people who could potentially steal and corrupt it. Rouge apps are where the majority of malware will come from. These malicious apps can also infect apps that you know and trust. For example, a rouge app was able to manipulate a vulnerability in the Skype app to infect the phone it was installed on.

Read the Fine Print – When you are installing an app, it will usually let you know what areas of your phone it’s going to be accessing. A simple to do list probably doesn’t need access to your contact list, so make sure you read the fine print. If it doesn’t make sense that it would need to access something on your phone, do not proceed to install!

Read the Reviews - Many apps have reviews. Make sure you take the time to read them — sometimes they will warn you of a malicious application, let you know that the app crashes too much, or isn’t what it’s advertised to be. Reviews can really help you save a couple bucks by warning you before you install.

Avoid Homebrew – If you have “rooted” your phone or “jailbroken” it, you can probably get access to a whole different app store or marketplace that has non-approved applications. Do this at your own risk, and know that your phone will be much more open to attack.

Education is key as these new threats emerge in the smartphone world. Do not assume you aren’t vulnerable! Remember that your smartphone is more like a computer than a phone, and treat it as such.