Hackers Now Going After Your Smartphone @McAfeeConsumer

17 billion bucks. Well, Apple beefs up its security as hackers use new technology to rip you off. It's true, more cyber thieves are cracking into smartphones and stealing personal information, even sending texts and making calls from victims' phones. Security expert Robert Siciliano says it's only going to get worse. And Robert, this does appear to be a whole new wave. It's one thing when they nab something off you at a restaurant or something, but now they're going right to the phone and That's where we keep all the information, all the contacts, all the passwords.

Yeah, well, think about it. You have a mobile phone today that has as much hard drive space, if not more, or much storage than a laptop. I know I do. And they just— they are just that. They are small computers that store all of our personal information, our passwords, credit card information.

Then how do they do it, Robert? How do they access it?

So your devices have wireless technology. They have Bluetooth, they have your Wi-Fi, and they also have something called NFC, which is Near Field Communication, which is another form of wireless technology used for mobile wallets and to connect different peripherals and so forth. And ultimately, hackers— good hackers, actually— in a controlled, tested environment were able to crack the code. They were able to access the device by bumping it or getting within a few inches of it. And essentially telling the phone to download something, a form of spyware that infects the device, allowing a hacker remote control of it.

So what can we do to defend ourselves?

Well, you have to, um, first and foremost, make sure that your device has a mobile security product. So just like your computer has antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-phishing, your mobile has to have mobile security as well. That's where it's going. Hackers are focusing and targeting on our mobile devices. So you have to beef them up just like your computers.

All right. Now, a lot of people keep all that information readily handy in the device, down to their numbers and passwords. Should they just not do that for safety's sake, or what?

Well, first and foremost, make sure that your device also has a password so it's locked. So if you lose it or if it's stolen, that they just can't get in it. And as far as, you know, your wireless technologies, Bluetooth and near-field communication, Shut those off when not in use, and in general you should be in pretty good shape.

Now what about when, you know, you always see these people going to like a Starbucks or whatever where there's Wi-Fi, and they're on the computer or they're on their smartphone and they're doing all sorts of stuff. Well, that's open season, right?

Yeah, see, I don't like Wi-Fi in like an internet cafe or in a coffee shop. I generally use it—

I hate the people in the internet cafe who sit there for hours doing this stuff. I'm not talking about the folks spying on them, I'm talking about the folks who just sit there sipping a latte for hours, but that's a whole other story. But continue your explanation.

So, make sure you're using your carrier's internet connection because that is more secure, more encrypted than the free Wi-Fi public connection where hackers can sniff on you. It's not as fast.

A lot of people don't like that because it's not as fast.

Well, that is true, but think about it like this. You know, it might take a little bit longer, but I'd rather spend a couple more seconds in and so forth than having my identity stolen.

That's a very good point. Where do you think this is all going, Robert Siciliano?

Well, we are relying more and more on wireless technologies, mobile phones, and again, hackers are focusing more and more on them. And you're gonna see in the next 5 years as much focus and attention on your portable devices— iPhone, iPad, Android devices, Samsung— than as you are on your laptops and desktops for the hackers.

Robert, always good stuff. I always learn a lot. Robert Siciliano in Boston.