🔰Part 5: App downloads🔰
Third party app stores are the primary way that ransomware and crypto miners are spread in the wild. Even Amazon’s own app store requires you to allow apps from unknown sources if you don’t have an Amazon-branded device. Bottom line, don’t use app stores you don’t know and us security software if possible (though that doesn’t provide much protection). Mobile apps are special in that each app runs code on a mobile device and can be reverse engineered/exploited by anyone with enough time and effort. Mobile apps are usually digitally signed by Apple and Google, but that is easily faked. Mobile apps live in an operating environment that is full of security vulnerabilities and exploits and many of them cannot be fixed because they are controlled by the carriers or equipment manufacturers. Carriers like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, many of which don’t have an interest in fixing the vulnerabilities because they are more interested in getting you to buy a new phone every year or every other year. Because data plans are at a premium, carriers can charge ridiculous amounts of money for data and wireless hotspot plans. With the introduction of 5G service, this will only amplify the speed at which attackers can serve up exploits to mobile users. Apple is notorious for convincing users to upgrade to new devices because of some new feature or operating system version and eventually, devices will no longer run the latest and greatest Operating System (anyone still remember the iPod touch?)
➖ @DarkDenial ➖
Third party app stores are the primary way that ransomware and crypto miners are spread in the wild. Even Amazon’s own app store requires you to allow apps from unknown sources if you don’t have an Amazon-branded device. Bottom line, don’t use app stores you don’t know and us security software if possible (though that doesn’t provide much protection). Mobile apps are special in that each app runs code on a mobile device and can be reverse engineered/exploited by anyone with enough time and effort. Mobile apps are usually digitally signed by Apple and Google, but that is easily faked. Mobile apps live in an operating environment that is full of security vulnerabilities and exploits and many of them cannot be fixed because they are controlled by the carriers or equipment manufacturers. Carriers like T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, many of which don’t have an interest in fixing the vulnerabilities because they are more interested in getting you to buy a new phone every year or every other year. Because data plans are at a premium, carriers can charge ridiculous amounts of money for data and wireless hotspot plans. With the introduction of 5G service, this will only amplify the speed at which attackers can serve up exploits to mobile users. Apple is notorious for convincing users to upgrade to new devices because of some new feature or operating system version and eventually, devices will no longer run the latest and greatest Operating System (anyone still remember the iPod touch?)
➖ @DarkDenial ➖