Electronic piracy via smartphones - / portal.kathimerini.gr

The targets of attacks ranging from financial fraud to industrial espionage, says a study released today.

From March 2012 to March 2013 the number of malicious programs that installed on smart phones that have Internet access, increased by 614%. These programs are not perceived by their users. Research conducted by the company providing network services Juniper Networks, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California.

Company study shows that the operating system Android, owned by Google, was more affected by the attacks of the kind, as was 92% of attacks.

This is mainly explained by the global dominance of Android??-based Linux-?? in the field of “smart” mobile, after holding almost three quarters of market share. However Karim Touba of Juniper Networks believes that this is also an indication that the «Android does not have an equally strong security system.” Notes that “all operating systems have vulnerabilities their points».

The first type of attacks on commercial messages sent to maliciously suggest a non-existent service, with on average a very small payment, for example from 10 to 50 minutes. Generally, users rarely realize the attack, which is paid by a few minutes their account.

Persons engaging in such attacks “may not leave any trace,” explains Tuba, collecting the money within a few days after closing numbers used in the scam. Often the “attack” was presented in the form of a short text message or email that recommends activating a program or application.

The study reveals that most attacks committed by Russia or China.

The Juniper also notes the large increase of more “sophisticated” attacks, aimed at stealing data companies or governments.

“The pirates can use the system as a mechanism for identification before proceeding further on an enterprise network,” explains Touba. further notes that many employees have access to their corporate network and the corporate server via their phone.

The Juniper Networks emphasizes that observed “that many attacks (in smartphones) can be used to steal sensitive company information or to start a larger intrusion” into their systems. The attacks are a criminal trend that is expected to grow by way of “rapid and sustained in the coming years,” the study warns.