The " Apps " risk !

The average person has become very security conscious in this electronic age.   We carefully screen our finger movement when putting a PIN into an ATM and are very aware of the scams used to introduce malware onto our computers.  We are constantly warned against very sophisticated " phishing " expeditions by criminal gangs in various far reaches of the world.

The newest " must have " is the Smartphone - and with that comes the offer of " apps " to make life easier and provide a range of helpful services, and in many cases these are completely free.   We can cheerfully spend hours examining the merchandise in the Apps store - and we download what takes our fancy without a care in the world.

It seems that the criminal world has discovered a new way of accessing our Smartphone and collecting data by embedding spyware in appealing Apps.  Once installed, it can quietly mine personal and private data and download this information.  If you are using your Smartphone to handle banking matters, there is a very real risk that account numbers and access passwords and Pins may he compromised.

This opens up a new security field for those offering data protection.  We put firewalls on our computers and pay a fee for security screening, but it seems that there is a need for similar protection on our Smartphones.  When we consider installing an App, there is a need to run it through a security screening before installation to determine that it is free of hidden software designed to mine data from our phone use.

We will probably find that many have what could be called " benign information gathering  functions " installed to gather information on our shopping habits so that tempting advertising can be directed at individuals.   Unfortunately, exactly this same type of information gathering installed in an App can serve a more sinister purpose.

With each advance in technology we face a further risk escalation.  What makes our life more agreeable also provides an opportunity for harm from the same genius types who use science as a weapon of economic war.  We need to assess that risk each time we consider doing a download !