Managing Your Mobile Privacy

Mobile malware continues to grow not only in number but in sophistication. We recently spotted botnet malware running on over a million infected smartphones. And while Android users are the main targets, Apple users could soon find themselves victims with reports of pirated apps finding their way on iOS devices. With these recent developments, our prediction of 1 million malicious detections by the end of 2013 hardly seems far-fetched.

But should users be concerned about malware only? No, they should also be concerned about their data. Given some of the activities done on smartphones involve a lot of information—email, gaming, and social networking—protecting data on mobile devices should be a priority.

While data stealing malware is a threat to privacy, legitimate apps can also put user data at risk. But these aren’t the only ways that information can go public. Common user behavior such as connecting to public WiFi networks and playing games on social media sites can allow others to view online activities. Browsing histories can be collected to send targeted ads to users. Even online profiles can become a risk, if users post too many details.

The issue of privacy is made more complicated by the fact that privacy is a personal issue. What some may seem as “too much” might be deemed normal or routine by another. It is now up to users to assess the amount of information they are comfortable with sharing to the public. In our infographic, “Managing Mobile Privacy,” we show the various privacy threats and risks associated with mobile devices. We also show the best ways to securing a mobile device.