August 17th, 2009
Is your smartphone secure? Survey says probably not
A survey released by Internet security firm Trend Micro today found that smartphone users are more worried about losing their phones or the personal data on them is more alarming than the threat of Web infections or phishing software. (Full Report Powerpoint)
Consider these findings from the survey:
- 44 percent said that surfing the Internet on a smartphone (which may not be equipped with security software) is just as safe, if not safer, as surfing on a PC.
- 23 percent of smartphone owners use the security software already installed on their smartphone.
- 20 percent said they don’t think security software on their phones would be very effective because they see limited risk in smartphone surfing.
I have to admit that I haven’t given much thought to my exposure to malware from my smartphone. I’m not a heavy mobile Web user - that is, I don’t regularly launch a browser and tap in a URL. But I also recognize that even sending and receiving e-mails on my phone and using things like Google Maps on my phone is still Web surfing.
What also struck me as interesting about this study was how iPhone users are almost more susceptible because they do more with their Web-connected phones. According to the report, iPhone users are more likely to:
- Surf the Web from their smartphones
- Visit audio/video sharing sites, shopping, blogs and Web logs and social networking sites.
- Send and receive email, as well as open an email attachment or clink on a URL link in an email.
- Listen to music, watch videos, download music, use the GPS functionality, and visit online gaming sites.
From the Trend Micro press release that announced the findings:
Correlation doesn’t always equal cause, but the sleek Web-browsing functionalities that make the iPhone so attractive to gadget lovers also make them more susceptible to Internet-related threats compared to other smartphone users. The most recently reported iPhone SMS vulnerability if unpatched, for example, could allow hackers to extract personal information and take control of the device if a user is on a malicious Web site or an unsecured 3G or WiFi connection.
Remember, that applies to Web-connected iPod Touches, too. As I download more apps to my iPod Touch and spend more time with smartphones, I guess I should also be thinking more about security on a device that’s really more like a portable, handheld computer.
It’s something we all should be thinking about more often.
Sam Diaz is a senior editor at ZDNet. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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