Cyber Security Issues For The Mobile Industry

The widespread availability of spyware, and international scandal over the  technology being used to intercept and monitor supposedly secure communications platforms is combining with growing concerns of the security of 5G network technology to undermine confidence in the mobile industry.

More and more mobile users are aware that their smartphones and the networks that they rely upon are a lot more vulnerable than they thought. 

Against this backdrop, Members of the Board of Directors at The Mobile Ecosystem Forum were asked to consider cyber security issues and share their predictions for the mobile industry in 2023.

 

Verifiable Credentials Will Gain Major Traction

In 2023 we will see the use of Verifiable Credentials start to gain real traction. It's the next generation of digital identity in which people keep their identity information in their own personal digital vault rather than it being managed by a third party. 

The important thing for the industry to keep in mind is that everything about transactions will be standardised by brand new World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards. So, the key to this is not the technology but the W3C standards. 

However, as the technology converges around this issue, we will see some great solutions that will create a new layer of trust around verified credentials. This will benefit everyone, especially those in developing countries where bank accounts and documentation are less common. With trusted verified credentials, people in these regions will suddenly be able to access a whole range of services that were previously closed off to them. I think that’s going to be a real game-changer.  Contributed by Andrew Bud, CEO of iProov

IOT Security Standards Are Coming

With the increasing number and complexity of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the amount of sensitive data they collect and transmit, security is a critical concern. Ensuring the security of IoT systems is essential both for protecting the privacy and safety of individuals and organisations, as well as maintaining the integrity and reliability of critical infrastructure.

Unfortunately, the industry is failing to self-regulate when it comes to IoT security. Paying a premium to enforce IoT security or standards isn’t profitable, so there is no incentive for device manufacturers to worry. As a result, regulators are currently grappling with the issue and, I expect, will be publishing legislation in 2023.

Manufacturers will need to address security issues by embedding measures such as encryption, authentication, access control, and vulnerability management into their IoT devices. So, prepare now!  Contributed by Dawood Ghalaieny, CEO of Zariot

Mobile Operators Offering New Identity Services

Currently, mobile operators are really struggling to find ways to grow their revenues beyond traditional services: voice, SMS and data. Yet, one asset mobile operators can monetise is mobile identity.

Over the coming year, I expect we will see a breakout of systems whereby enterprise can query mobile operators to verify a customer’s age, address, credit status, etc. This information is known and verified by mobile operators to establish a contract, and it is tied to a unique number: a phone number. So, phone numbers could become the unique identifier to verify all this information. 

It will be interesting to see how enterprise will take all those pieces of information and use it to formulate an opinion on a customer that can be used and monetised. It would make things much easier for customers - rather than filling out forms and completing Know Your Customer (KYC) data, they could simply link their mobile number. In turn, this would also be very helpful to businesses. Contributed by Jason Lunn is Global Connectivity, CPaaS at Cisco 

Preventing Fraud Will Become Essential

As the global technology market has grown, so too has a shadow economy of fake accounts. Robots set up fake accounts which are then served ads, draining advertising budget with no benefit. It’s also hard to estimate the size of this shadow economy - it could already be very big.

Telecoms operators play a key role in this economy. Take social media, for example. There are thousands of robots creating fake accounts, with lots of SMS being sent to activate and serve those fake accounts.

On the other side, mobile customers are receiving an unprecedented level of fraudulent phishing (or ‘smishing’ as we call it for SMS) messages with dangerous links.

To help combat these issues, a lot of organisations are currently working on more holistic, 360-degree solutions which would combine multiple data sources into a data pool to analyse and come out with intelligent identification of possible fraudulent transactions as soon as they're triggered.

By using artificial intelligence and machine learning for fraud prevention, organisations will be able to identify patterns immediately and flag off possible situations of fraud and phishing/smishing. They can then intercept these fraudulent or spurious links, displaying a landing page where a user is notified that it’s possibly a fraudulent page, similar to the warnings users get in the likes of Google Chrome. They will also, then, be able to track and block these fraudulent accounts more quickly, making fraud much harder to commit.  Contributed by Anurag Aggarwal is VP Partnership and Alliances at Tanla.

 

Dario Betti is CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum 

You Might Also Read: 

Conversational Commerce Is Going To Be Big - But Could Be Risky:

____________________________________________________________________________________

If you like this website and use the comprehensive 6,500-plus service supplier Directory, you can get unrestricted access, including the exclusive in-depth Directors Report series, by signing up for a Premium Subscription.

  • Individual £5 per month or £50 per year. Sign Up
  • Multi-User, Corporate & Library Accounts Available on Request

Cyber Security Intelligence: Captured Organised & Accessible


 

« Building An Identity-First Security Strategy
Europol Arrest Crypto Currency Fraud Gang »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Check Point

Directory of Suppliers

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North IT (North Infosec Testing) are an award-winning provider of web, software, and application penetration testing.

Alvacomm

Alvacomm

Alvacomm offers holistic VIP cybersecurity services, providing comprehensive protection against cyber threats. Our solutions include risk assessment, threat detection, incident response.

TÜV SÜD Academy UK

TÜV SÜD Academy UK

TÜV SÜD offers expert-led cybersecurity training to help organisations safeguard their operations and data.

The PC Support Group

The PC Support Group

A partnership with The PC Support Group delivers improved productivity, reduced costs and protects your business through exceptional IT, telecoms and cybersecurity services.

DigitalStakeout

DigitalStakeout

DigitalStakeout enables cyber security professionals to reduce cyber risk to their organization with proactive security solutions, providing immediate improvement in security posture and ROI.

MobileIron

MobileIron

MobileIron provides EMM capabilities to IT organizations that need to secure mobile devices, applications and content.

Prewen

Prewen

Prewen provide solutions to protect sensitive data across the organisation.

We Watch Your Website

We Watch Your Website

We Watch Your Website provide website monitoring, protection, malware removal and root cause analysis services to help you keep your website secure.

Atempo

Atempo

Atempo is a leading independent European-based software vendor with a global presence. We provide solutions to protect, store, move and recover all your data.

Immersive

Immersive

Immersive unifies Cyber Drills, Exercises, Sims, Ranges, and Training into one single, adaptive platform. One Platform. Total Cyber Resilience.

TypingDNA

TypingDNA

TypingDNA uses AI to recognise people by the way they type on desktop keyboards and mobile devices.

Naukrigulf

Naukrigulf

Naukrigulf.com is one of the fastest growing job sites in the Gulf, with thousands of registered job seekers and a robust CV database across many sectors, including cybersecurity.

OurCrowd

OurCrowd

OurCrowd is a leading equity crowdfunding platform for investing in global startups.

Salt Cybersecurity

Salt Cybersecurity

Salt Cybersecurity offer a four-pronged approach to information security that includes Custom Security Policy, Vulnerability Assessment, Threat Detection, and Security Awareness Training.

Cirosec

Cirosec

Cirosec is a specialized company with a focus on information security. We carry out pentests & audits and advise our customers in the German-speaking countries on information and IT security issues.

Mandiant

Mandiant

Mandiant deliver dynamic cyber defense solutions powered by industry-leading expertise, intelligence and innovative technology.

Feroot Security

Feroot Security

Feroot Security secures client-side web applications so that businesses can deliver a flawless user experience to their customers. Our products help organizations protect their client-side surface.

SEK Security Ecosystem Knowledge

SEK Security Ecosystem Knowledge

SEK helps companies in the complex path of cybersecurity; in the analysis, detection and prevention of digital threats.

Radius Technologies

Radius Technologies

Radius Technologies is trusted by progressive SMEs to deliver world-class cloud, IT solutions, IT and data security, and telecoms systems.

Eden Data

Eden Data

Eden Data is on a mission to break the outdated mold of traditional cybersecurity consulting. We handle all of your security, compliance & data privacy needs.

MergeBase

MergeBase

Reduce software supply chain risk with MergeBase proven Software Composition Analysis (SCA).