Tag: mobile security

Apple may be winning the mobile payments battle

| February 3, 2015

Apple Pay continues to gain momentum among consumers and businesses alike

Apple may be winning the war of mobile wallets. The company launched its new Apple Pay service three months ago and has already managed to make a significant impact on the mobile payments space. Apple has managed to beat other services in terms of mobile payments volume, despite these services having been around longer. Apple Pay has found success because of numerous reasons, one of which has to do with how secure the service is.

Apple Pay may be the most secure mobile payments solution currently available

Security has become a major issue in the digital world. Recent data breaches that have struck companies like Target and Sony have highlighted the dangers that exist in the online space. Mobile payments are also at risk, because services like Apple Pay deal in trafficking financial information. As such, malicious groups have taken interest in mobile platforms, seeking ways to take advantage of consumer information. Apple Pay has managed to offer a secure solution for those that are interested in mobile payments.

Biometric technology helps Apple protect consumer information from exploitation

Mobile Payments - Apple iPhone 6Apple Pay has become one of the most secure mobile platforms currently available. The service makes use of biometric technology, which allows transactions to be authorized using a fingerprint. This has fostered more confidence among consumers and has helped Apple Pay gain more favor. Though the service is considered very secure, there are some issues that have slowed its adoption among consumers.

Limited support for cards and banks counts as a detractor for Apple Pay

Apple Pay supports a limited number of card types and banks, which makes it impossible to use for some people. Corporate cards are also not supported, which limits the service’s appeal to enterprise customers. The service is still quite young, so Apple may choose to add more support for various card types in the future. Currently, however, this limited support serves as a detractor when compared to other mobile payments services that are available from companies like Google and PayPal.

Mobile security may not be the biggest concern in the digital commerce field

| January 29, 2015

Mobile security threats may not be as serious in the mobile payments space as they seem

Security has become a major concern in the mobile commerce space, but security firm Kaspersky Labs suggest that security may not be as big of a problem as some would claim. The firm notes that there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of mobile malware, especially in the banking sector. The security issues that exist in the mobile payments space, however, are still “fairly minimal,” suggesting that mobile commerce may be a much safer space than some believe it to be.

Mobile payments are not exposed to the same security threats as the banking sector

Kaspersky Labs notes that consumers participating in mobile commerce are not experiencing the same risks as those that are on traditional devices, such as laptops or desktop computers. This has to do with the relative youth of the mobile commerce sector. Because this sector is still in a state of infancy, malicious software has not yet had an opportunity to thrive therein. By comparison, the banking sector is quite old and has been involved in the technology space for several years now and this time has allowed malicious groups to focus their efforts on certain vulnerable areas.

New trends are emerging that could compromise mobile security

Mobile Commerce and Mobile SecurityWhile mobile payments may not be exposed to serious risks, there are still dangerous trends emerging in this space. Phishing Trojans are becoming more common in the mobile space. These malicious programs are designed to obtain the personal information of their targets, gaining access to bank accounts and exploiting other financial information. Such programs are likely to become more common and more sophisticated as the mobile commerce space matures.

Consumers can take steps to protect themselves and their important information

Consumers can keep themselves and their information safe through a variety of measures. Using anti-virus applications from reputable organizations, such as Kaspersky Labs, can help people protect themselves from malware. The increasing prevalence of biometric technology may also introduce more security to the mobile commerce space. This technology leverages biological information, such as a fingerprint, to protect a mobile device.