Tag: security mobile

A bug that can infect that operating system can spread itself with nothing more than one text message.

Smartphones that run on the Android operating system are now at risk of an important mobile security flaw that could allow a properly infected text message to take over the device.

It is currently estimated that nearly 1 billion devices around the world are vulnerable to this bug.

According to mobile security experts, this flaw is now considered to be “the word Android vulnerability in the mobile OS history.” Zimperium researchers that focus on this type of issue were among those who initially released details regarding this threat, which has been called “Stagefright.” This threat is dangerous enough that it can infect an Android based smartphone simply through the receipt of an MMS message, regardless of whether or not the device user actually opens it.

Once the text is received, the mobile security bug activates a code which releases full control of the device to an attacker.

This Android bug gives the attacker control over everything from the camera and microphone to the data on the device, which can then be copied. In their blog releasing information about Stagefright, the Zimperium researchers explained that “These issues in Stagefright code critically expose 95 per cent of Android devices, an estimated 950 million devices.”

While Google has already issued a repair for the security flaw for its Android operating system, many carriers and phone makers haven’t yet released the update to consumers.

The problem, itself, was first spotted back in April by Zimperium’s Joshua Drake. Drake received recognition for this discovery by Google, when the company released a statement saying “We thank Joshua Drake for his contributions. The security of Android users is extremely important to us and so we responded quickly and patches have already been provided to partners that can be applied to any device.”

Google also took care to point out the mobile security steps that are already in place for devices that run on its operating system. It pointed out that the majority of Android based devices, including all of the ones running on the newer versions of the OS, include a number of different technologies that have been “designed to make exploitation more difficult.” Among them is an app sandbox that is meant to help to keep user data and other device apps protected.

The announcement of the purchase of the Israeli company has now been officially made.

Check Point Software Technologies has now officially announced the acquisition of the Israel based Lacoon Mobile Security business, following a slew of reports that had appeared throughout March.

Last month’s reports had suggested that the companies had been in talks for an $80 million purchase.

As of the writing of this article, the actual price of the sale of the mobile security company had not been released. That said, the deal has now officially closed and has been announced by the companies. This purchase of Lacoon will hand Check Point an important piece in the smartphone and tablet based security puzzle. This will allow it to step its offerings up from the standard mobile device management that is the foundation of many of its rivals. This, according to the vice president of business development at Check Point, Alon Kantor.

Adding mobile security to device management can provide an entirely new level to remote services.

Typically speaking, mobile device management has to do with providing IT with control over a smartphone or tablet in a remote way, so that actions can be taken such as removing corporate data from a personal device if an employee should leave the business, or even completely wiping a stolen phone.

What makes Lacoon unique is the way in which it looks at mobile device security. Kantor described it by saying that “MDM manages the devices and the applications while the Lacoon solution is about securing these devices and blocking advanced mobile threats such as malware, [advanced persistent threats] or targeted network attacks.”

This functions with both Android and iOS based devices. It collects data with regards to threats and then complements any other existing security infrastructure that a company has put into place. This could provide Check Point with a very powerful mobile security tool, according to Constellation Research principal, R. Ray Wang. He explained that instead of having to depend on the reaction of MDM to a threat to security, once it has already happened, Lacoon protects proactively to protect against the attacks in the first place.