Smartphones and tablets are safe from hackers

MOBILE DEVICE SECURITY won't be taken seriously until hackers infiltrate devices and use them to gain access to valuable data or steal vast sums of money, according to Mike Cote, VP of Dell Secureworks.

"At present it is easier for hackers to access information on wired networks and connections. Hackers are comparable to water - they will go to the place of least resistance to make money, and this is not going to change," he said at Dell World in Texas.

"Desktops, laptops and networks have more data than mobile devices, and this makes them primary targets."

Cote pointed out that there are 15 billion "security events" every day - a number that will double in 10 months. The threat to mobile devices will increase as they become more powerful and are used more frequently.

"As the consumerisation of IT continues, and employees bring their own devices to work, employers will be expected to provide security for mobile devices. We will have to provide cost-effective options for enterprises as budgets continue to be stretched," he said.

Cote added that the way in which hackers operate has changed, especially with the rise of hacktivism. "Hacktivists are different from traditional hackers who are out to make money. Groups such as Lulzsec and Anonymous tend to give information in advance about targets they are going to attack as they want to assemble people together," he said.

"These hacktivist attacks are less frequent and more violent, but they are easier to deal with as you typically know when something is going to happen." µ