Skip to main content

Mobile vulnerabilities on the rise, according to new report

history of malware android
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Mobile security is becoming increasingly important in an era of mass hacks and data breaches. Mobile hacks and exploits are becoming increasingly common — but some may not be aware of just how common they’re becoming. According to Zimperium‘s latest Global Threat Intelligence report, there were more common vulnerabilities discovered and registered for Android and iOS in the first half of 2017 than all of 2016.

Since 2016, according to the report, a hefty 600 vulnerabilities have been discovered for Android and 300 for iOS, and while not all of those vulnerabilities are severe, they do prove that there’s a lot of work to be done to ensure the security of the Android and iOS operating systems.

That’s a pretty big deal, but it’s made even worse by the fact that the vast majority of Android devices run older — and hence more vulnerable — versions of Android. According to the report, a massive 94 percent of Android devices run older versions of Android. That’s much higher than on iOS, where only 23 percent of active devices are running older versions of the operating system, but the situation is not all that unexpected considering the fragmentation of the Android ecosystem.

Perhaps even more concerning is the fact that a massive 1 in 50 apps downloaded onto enterprise devices was detected to have a serious security or privacy issue.

So what kinds of risks are most common? Perhaps the most serious risk is a man-in-the-middle attack, which eventually allows the attacker to access all kinds of user data — which could ultimately used for an even more serious attack. These attacks occur over networks, when an attacker scans the network to look for potential victims, and the new report notes that as many as five percent of all devices detected such a scan in the first quarter of 2017 — and many devices actually encountered multiple scans. Of the devices that were scanned, a massive 80 percent were targeted in a man-in-the-middle attack, and it’s likely that users were never made aware that they had fallen victim to such an attack.

Of course, there are things that you can do to ensure your data remains safe. For starters, you can try to avoid unsecured Wi-Fi networks, and make sure that you only download apps from the Google Play or Apple App Store — and even when you do download apps on those marketplaces, try to only download apps that you know are legit.

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
8 iPhone browser apps you should use instead of Safari
iPhone browser apps

By default, the Safari web browser is available on every iPhone, including the iPhone 15 series. Nevertheless, several other web-browsing options can be found on the App Store, each with at least one unique feature that distinguishes it from the others. While some web browser apps like Google Chrome, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft Edge might already be familiar to you, others such as Aloha and Arc Search may not be.

If you're looking for a Safari alternative, here are our favorite iPhone browser apps you should consider using instead.
Google Chrome

Read more
I tried Belkin’s ridiculous new iPhone accessory — and I love it
Belkin Stand Pro with iPhone 14 Pro Max mounted in StandBy mode.

One of the most interesting iPhone accessories to debut this year is one that wouldn’t have been possible without Apple sneaking a new feature into iOS 17 last fall. While there’s no shortage of iPhone stands and mounts on the market, Belkin’s Stand Pro is something entirely different from the rest.

That’s thanks to Apple’s DockKit. It's a framework for accessory makers to create motorized stands that can follow you around the room. While the concept itself isn’t new, DockKit means that such stands can be significantly more affordable as they don’t need to pack in complex sensors. With DockKit, the iPhone does all the heavy lifting of figuring out where to point itself.

Read more
This is when Apple will finally release its new 2024 iPads
Apple iPad Pro 11 with Apple Magic Keyboard.

It's been a long time since Apple introduced a new iPad — October 2022, to be precise. In his latest newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reinforces his belief that Apple will finally reveal new iPads this spring, perhaps as early as the end of this month.

The Apple expert had previously noted that Apple would release new MacBook Airs and iPads at the beginning of the year. The first part of this promise came to fruition earlier this month when Apple revealed the M3 MacBook Air.

Read more