Protecting Your Mobile Phone From Spyware And Malware

As cell phones continue to evolve from the bulky dinosaurs of the 1980's into small and sleek portable computers like the iPhone they also become more at risk for unknown, and in some cases, malicious situations and software. This article will focus on giving you an overview of the ways in which others can utilize your cell to reveal specific things about you or even to cause you nuisance and harm. The main thing to keep in mind is that your cell phone and you are not an island; others can reach out and touch you without ever dialing your number.

The first thing that makes your cell a tempting target for concerned mothers and conscienceless thieves alike is its wonderful ability to generate a record of all calls made to or from it. In 2006 several reports emerged online of a company marketing a Trojan-esque bit of software that would embed itself in a cell phone and transmit its call log to a remote server (1). Worried husbands and wives could then purchase the call logs of their spouse's cell and either confirm or allay their suspicions. However, despite the company's earnest exclamation (2) about the nature of its product's demographic, it is easy to imagine how innocent people could be abused via this service. This type of spyware is not isolated, and call logs continue to be a hot commodity.

What else can spyware do to you through your cell? Find out exactly where you are. The very same technology that was developed in order to allow 911 operators to pinpoint the current location of a calling cell can be exploited by spyware to reveal your location to those who may be less concerned about your personal welfare. Again, companies who sell this software can rightfully claim that it's aimed at helping parents track their kids, but there is no doubt that some of its applications are not so altruistic or innocuous. One online journalist posits situations where employers might send emails containing this spyware package to their employees' cells with the obvious and not-so-friendly aim of keeping exacting tabs on them (3).

Moving on from spyware we come to its more disgusting sibling: malware. This software is specifically aimed at using your phone for sundry hurtful reasons. As the modern executive comes to rely on his or her mobile device for much more than storing phone numbers sensitive corporate data becomes far less secure (4). The right kind of malware can result in a bonanza of data that can be sold or used to undermine and destroy careers and entire companies. Beyond the danger to business, the same sort of malicious software can easily be used to target individuals. What do you store about yourself on your cell? Perhaps there's just enough lingering there to facilitate a fair amount of identity theft. If you can save it, it can be stolen.

Furthermore, as mobile devices become smarter and stand in more and more for personal computers this trend is only apt to worsen. People in love with all the new and amazing features of their high-powered mobile devices simply may not appreciate the fact that they are just as at risk from all the attacks that their laptop or desktop is subjected to on a regular basis. Consumers ought to treat their cell phones as not only a link to the world, but a possible source of unwanted contact with the very worst in it.