AT&T and TMobile: The New Era of Mobile Security Complexity
AT&T and TMobile: The New Era of Mobile Security Complexity Author: Eric Everson, Founder MyMobiSafe.com
It has been just days since AT&T and TMobile have been issued steep fines related to the “security” of their voicemail systems. This action brought against these two providers is a direct reflection of the complexities that mobile service providers face as we are ushering in a new era of mobile security futures.
This most recent legal debacle related to mobile security stemmed from high-profile hacker attacks in the State of California. Investigators in this suit used the globally accessible TelTech Systems SpoofCard software to easily hack into voicemail accounts which enabled the investigators control over the hacked voicemail systems creating an opportunity to exercise caller-id spoofing, settings tampering, and further offering the ability to change or erase messages. Essentially this software enables hackers access to the network-level which puts handset-level security at significant risk.
According to respected industry analyst Marin Perez of Information Week, the outcome of this legal action is that “AT&T and T-Mobile have paid fines and agreed to stop advertising that their voice-mail systems are safe from hackers.” Both companies agreed to settle this suit by agreeing to pay respective fines but neither mobile service provider admitted any wrongdoing.
The reality is that whether you use your cell phone for personal communication or as the lifeline of your small business operations, mobile security is undeniably becoming an issue that everyone must acknowledge. For many of us this means exercising greater responsibility in exchanging mobile content while for others it means preparing for this emerging new battlefield of digital security. Whether you are simply concerned about the security of your individual handset or if you are looking at the digital security implications of mobile threats across an enterprise setting, it is important to first start by understanding the greatest threats you face.
Your friend and most trusted name in mobile security, Eric Everson
A.K.A “MobileTech”
Eric Everson, Founder MyMobiSafe.com EricEverson@Hotmail.com