Friday, December 31, 2010

Hackers targeting iPad and iPhones in 2011

from eSecurityPlanet.com


Security software vendor McAfee (NYSE: MFE) is one of several firms predicting a dramatic surge in attacks on Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) devices like the iPhone and the iPad. For year, the Mac operating system was largely ignored by malware authors in favor of Windows applications and devices, which had a much larger user base and, comparatively, far more coding flaws to exploit.

But the popularity of the iPhone and iPad and the millions of applications written specifically for these mobile devices has created a new fertile field for those inclined to write malicious code to take advantage of users' relative naiveté regarding their smartphones.

"We’ve seen significant advancements in device and social network adoption, placing a bulls-eye on the platforms and services users are embracing the most," said Vincent Weafer, senior vice president of McAfee Labs. "These platforms and services have become very popular in a short amount of time, and we’re already seeing a significant increase in vulnerabilities, attacks and data loss."
McAfee security researchers said bringing the iPhone and the iPad into the enterprise creates a serious dilemma for IT administrators charged with integrating these devices and applications into the network even though many users lack the understanding and appreciation for the security risks inherent in these nascent mobile devices.   

14 comments:

  1. It seems like every year we hear predictions of doom for the Mac from the computer security industry (as if they don't have a vested interest). And every year the largely unprotected Mac user base survives and flourishes.

    Maybe 2011 will finally be the year that Mac users are driven to install third-party antivirus software. Maybe not.

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  2. Dave's an idiot brett, who can't use technology for what it is. He's basically jealous his mom gave him a 1.6 android phone instead of an iphone 4.

    Funny, cause the only real wild viruses out there for smartphone's are on android.

    you know, that platform with terrible software, and terrible fragmentation that ships with a SMS program that doesn't work!

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  3. Actually Jesse, if you read the post, you would see that it was a guy from McAfee that brought up the whole virus thing not me. I'm actually glad that I have an Android phone (2.1 fyi) because it works very well and I can even hold it without a case or bumper and still have a signal. Also the software is great, there is no "fragmentation" to speak of and my stock SMS program works perfectly. Iphone had virus problems long before there were any reported for Android. There was an SMS virus as well as huge gaping security holes. http://on.msnbc.com/cN5Hxa
    But that's OK, you go on using your iphone because that's all you can handle and let Jobs tell you what you can and can't have.

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  4. It seems logical that popular smart phones will be targeted by malware authors. The most effective type of malware these days is the trojan, because users are fooled into installing it themselves.

    Ironically, Apple's "Walled Garden", which restricts iOS software to that available via the App Store, works in the user's favor here.

    Also, it seems inevitable that Android phones will significantly outnumber iPhones, further taking the malware heat off the iOS (much as Windows' dominance does for the Mac).

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  5. Dave,
    Have fun with your old incomplete Android "2.1" phone. Why don't you update to a current version of Android? Why? That is right, because you CAN'T!

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  6. Um, how do you mean "incomplete"? My phone is pretty awesome and I haven't found something I can't do. It's true, I cannot update to the latest version but it's made for newer hardware. That is expected and understandable. I wouldn't put an new OS on old hardware in most cases. I will, however, upgrade to a newer phone, maybe the Nexus S or something with Honeycomb.

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  7. I saw some of the videos covering the new features of honeycomb and it looks incredible. People are going to be blown away when they use it. iPhone is so last year :P

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  8. http://www.pcworld.com/article/216564/iPhone_Safer_from_Hackers_than_Android.htm

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  9. 404 Dipshit.Try this one:

    http://bit.ly/cWFPVI

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  10. Nice language there.

    New improved link (including the last character):

    http://www.pcworld.com/article/216564/iPhone_Safer_from_Hackers_than_Android.html

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  11. So, the guy is basing the article on the old "Open = Bad" argument? Really? Wow, I thought it was based on actual security testing and exposing vulnerabilities. It seems more like an ad for Trend Micro than anything else. Nice try tho.

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  12. Or it could be the old "platform with more exploits is bad" argument. Care to bet on whether it will be Android or iOS?

    The Android apologists are surely getting ready excuse their crap magnets on the basis of having a larger market share, just as Windows zealots do.

    Nevertheless, I'll grant that most of these FUD articles are written by vested interests with an agenda.

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  13. Yes, I would love to bet that because iOS already has more vulnerabilities. How exactly would we verify the winner anyway? That second sentence really didn't make a whole bunch of sense, sorry. Finally, yes there are a lot of FUD articles out there just to fill space and cause controversy.

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  14. Hey Brett, same website but now they seem to be clarifying things a bit.

    http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/216733/is_android_less_secure_than_iphone_um_no.html

    Sorry to stomp on your Trend Micro ad.

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