TMCnet Mobile Security Week In Review

It was an absolutely huge week in mobile security this week, and why not? After all, with the proliferation of mobile devices out there comes as well a need for protecting same. So that means a lot of advancements in the field, and a lot of news to go over. So settle in, now that a well-earned weekend is in our collective grasp, and let’s take a look back in the week that was with our week in review roundup of adware removal.

First, we had a look at the idea for 911 systems to get access to mobile video, and based on the current reports, that’s a phenomenon that might come around sooner than some expected. TeleCommunications Systems (TCS) is well at work on a system that will allow 911 departments to receive both photos and videos of crime scenes as taken by those passing by the incident. With 911 already moving to accept text messages as mandated by the FCC (News – Alert), it’s not surprising to see other forms of media that mobile excels in step in on top of that.

Next came a look at the reaction to General Keith Alexander’s speech at the Black Hat 2013 cyber-security conference. Given that Alexander is the current head of the National Security Agency (News – Alert)—which is now perhaps best remembered for its role in PRISM—it wasn’t surprising that he would speak at a major security conference. The response, however, was vocal and occasionally negative, as Alexander defended the agency’s activities and stances from the current opinion of the audience.

For all the value and power that mobile security offers the entirety of mobile users out there, there was some good news this week in a new report from NQ Mobile (News – Alert) that showed malware infections in both the United States and India was on the decline. Of the five countries with the largest infection rates—China, Russia, India, the United States and Thailand—only India and the U.S could boast lowering rates.

Then came a closer look at issues around mobile payment systems and similar matters. While many customers are still wary of using such systems—and not without reason—those that offer such services are eager to dispel the remaining doubts and are putting together the ATM & Mobile Executive Summit. Set to take place in Washington D.C this September, the summit is geared toward finding ways to make users feel safer about putting such systems to work.

Finally, we had a look at the outlook for SiRRAN Secure Mobile subscriptions in the face of increased monitoring of mobile traffic. Increasing numbers of users were signing up for the service, likely in response to claims from SiRRAN that over 90 percent of global mobile traffic is, on some level, by somebody, being monitored. At last report, SiRRAN saw 50 percent subscriber growth over the second quarter of 2013, and with monitoring equipment being easily found online, perhaps it’s not such a surprise.

That was the week in mobile security, and on several fronts, it was quite a week indeed. With closer examinations not only for the need for mobile security but also the means to provide same, there was plenty of news to talk about, and our global online community brought it back in job lots. So be sure to join us back here next week for all the latest news in the sector, and of course, every weekend for our week in review!