Researchers from the University of California Riverside and the University of Michigan had a 92 percent hacking rate of smartphone apps that compromised Android, Apple iOS, Microsoft and Windows OS. The researchers managed to hack into Gmail, Chase Bank and H&R Block apps while Amazon proved more difficult to compromise.
Meanwhile researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology explain that smartphones newer than the iPhone 4 have refined accelerometers that can read vibrations from typing on your laptop to figure out what you’re typing with 80 percent accuracy. If someone swipes your phone, they can potentially gain access to sensitive passwords and private information.
Smartphone hacking isn’t a new concept, but luckily security measures continue to rapidly evolve. For example, the Sony Xperia comes with location-tracking capabilities and the ability to lock down your phone if it goes missing. When you’re choosing your next smartphone, you need to keep your security in mind. Here’s how some of the major players in the industry are stepping up their security game:
Apple iOS
Apple’s iOS is considered one of the safest, spyware-proof operating systems. Gamma Group’s FinSpy software was used to hack calls and personal data from various smartphones. It managed to sneak into Androids and BlackBerry operating systems, but couldn’t gain access to iOS unless it was in jailbroken mode.
Silent OS
Silent OS came into the public’s radar when the new Blackphone hit the market. The Android smartphone features a built-in, industrial-grade encryption and protects everything from voice to IMs to media. Silent OS also created Spaces, which helps you set up and manage self-contained areas to protect your personal information. It also features a remote wipe setting to control your device in case it goes missing or gets stolen. And, unlike other app stores, its privacy-focused Silent Store outlines all of the app permissions to you upfront in clear language. This way you know exactly what you’re downloading and how your information is used. In the landscape of smartphone operating systems and security, Silent OS ranks at the top of the list.
Google Android
Google Android tracks the applications you download through Verify Apps to make sure harmful applications don’t find their way onto your mobile device. Additionally, in 2014, Google extended its monitoring to see what your apps are doing after they’re downloaded onto your device, according to BGR. Google states that its systems “use machine learning to see patterns and make connections that humans would not” to keep your device safe. Although some users consider this to be an extra layer of protection, others aren’t so sure what Google is actually scanning.
Meanwhile, the new Google Android for Work helps keep business apps in a separate space on your devices as part of the Android 5 Lollipop OS. Your IT department also can keep apps from being installed from unknown sources. Android for Work also protects your devices with disk encryption and lockscreens.
Blackberry OS
Widely used for businesses, Blackberry OS features its Secure Work Space feature if you want to use your phone for personal use without compromising your business data. Like Google Android for Work, the system regularly monitors for jailbroken devices and disallowed app installations, offers encrypted instant messaging and provides access to your BlackBerry content on your laptop and tablet.
