Hackers Pose a Threat to Smart Phones
Where There is Disaster There is Opportunity for Investors
By PJ Louis
MobileIN.com Perspective
Hackers Pose a Threat to Smart Phones
Where There is Disaster There is Opportunity for Investors
By PJ Louis
|
Over the last 20 years, the wireless industry has had to deal with stolen MINs (mobile identification numbers), stolen phones, stolen SIM cards, and hacked phones. Yes, there was cell phone fraud before the iPhone. Hacking took place in the form of stealing MINs and ESNs. The iPhone merely brought cell phone hacking back in style. What I have just described is what we used to generally call FRAUD. Now why in the world would anyone think that the crooks would not hack a smart phone? Where there is an opportunity to make an illegal buck you can count on a thief to take that opportunity. Within the next two years the majority of the handsets will be smart phones. Attacks on smart phones are rare for the following reasons and it has nothing to do with the fact they are largely connected to corporate networks today. - Financial transactions are not being conducted en masse on cell phones today. As soon as banks and retail outlets begin using cell phones to conduct transactions, hackers will use them to steal your money and your identity. - There are an insufficient number of smart phones on the market yet to facilitate financial theft. - Beyond voice, web surfing, and video there are few opportunities for a hacker to steal anything of value from you. Right now the most a hacker can do is steal minutes by stealing MIN and ESN data. The marketplace will need to see a significant increase in applications and smart phones before wireless based financial theft becomes prevalent. Wireless handsets are becoming point of sale for retailers. If you read my pat analyses entitled, The Cell Phone – The Mobile Wallet Has Arrived and Mobile/Wireless Banking – Money Transfers Have Arrived, you will note that financial and retail initiative are already underway. Hackers and Whack Jobs can get their jollies today by dumping malware and viruses on the wireless handset today when users download everything from videos to ringtones. Is there an opportunity for investors? The answer is Yes. Where there is disaster there is work and opportunity – insight I gained in my early consulting days. It is a mercenary view of the world but true nonetheless. There is an opportunity for anti-virus software companies today and even emerging anti-virus software companies. Where there is disaster there is work and opportunity.
The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of MobileIN.com. You are encouraged to seek the advice of health professional concerning these matters of great importance.
|
|
Copyright © 2008 MobileIN.com- All Rights Reserved
