Tag: smartphone security

Social media marketing concerns rise over security issues

| March 1, 2013

Social Media Marketing Security ConcernsBrands are beginning to worry about whether or not it is safe to use the networks.

Though most of the world felt that last week’s social media marketing hacks that broke the “news” that McDonalds had purchased Burger King, Jeep had been acquired by Cadillac, and even “The Donald” had some surprising lyrics to share, these events were not as harmless as they initially appeared.

Many brands are now wondering if they are safe from hacks that are meant to be less than amusing.

After all, Burger King, Jeep, and Donald Trump certainly weren’t left laughing. Security analysts didn’t feel that the jokes were tremendously funny, either, as it is only a very clear sign that social media marketing is placing companies at an increased risk of having their accounts hacked. They are becoming increasingly common and their severity is rising. Many wonder whether this is threatening a massive closure of business accounts from leading brands who would prefer not to have to deal with that risk.

For social media marketing as a whole to succeed, higher security efforts may become very necessary.

According to the founder and chief executive of Deep Focus, Ian Schafer, “I think Twitter needs to step up its game in providing better security.” Schafer’s organization is a digital advertising firm. He recently informed his staff that the social networks such as Twitter as well as Facebook, Pinterest “and anyone else serious about having brands on their platform” will be required to “invest time in better understanding how brands operate day to day.”

Aside from last week’s hacks, NBC News and USA Today have also been successfully broken into over the last while. This has raised a serious concern about the password protection of social media marketing account and the ease of gaining access to them.

There have been a growing number of calls being made for increased security to social media marketing accounts, which has now risen to a deafening roar as brand giants have added their voices. These brands feel that they should be provided with an added security layer over that of a typical user, as the traditional user doesn’t face the same constant risk of a hacking threat that is experienced by companies.

Mobile security benefits added for iPhone users through IBM

| February 27, 2013

IBM Mobile SecurityThe latest AppScan update will help to make iPhones and iPads more secure through a number of changes.

IBM has just announced the launch of its latest software, which is designed to help to assist developers in securing code and data in apps for iPhones and iPads.

The latest update to the AppScan Source for iOS devices provides developers with flaw alerts.

The latest update for the iOS version of AppScan Source 8.7 is able to search through the application’s code so that it can let developers know when it has identified a flaw within it. IBM has also stated that this powerful mobile security software is able to analyze applications that employees would like to download onto their iPhones and iPads. It can alert them to various types of vulnerabilities that these apps present and can then communicate these potential threats to the I.T. security staff at the organization.

IBM has stated that this software will help to improve mobile security without a negative impact on time to market.

The company explained that the software is able to make the mobile security level better for this apps, without having a harmful effect on their time to market. It supported this statement by making reference to Gartner statistics, which have suggested that 45.6 billion applications were downloaded in 2012, which is why securing various endpoint devices – such as smartphones – should be one of the leading priorities held by a company.

AppScan Source was developed by IBM through an analysis of more than 40,000 apps for iOS devices that were created through the use of the Apple iOS Software Development Kit. Among the features that it currently boasts are JavaScript and Java complete language support, as well as supporting Objective-C. It can also perform call and data flow analysis which will provide trace data. This would provide companies with the ability to create enterprise apps with considerably greater mobile security, regardless of the choice of technology by employees and partners.

According to the IBM director of Application, Data, and Mobile Security, Caleb Barlow, this now capability will allow for the incorporation of “security into their infrastructure and solutions from the design, development and testing phases rather than leaving security to become an afterthought.”