Readers’ Poll: What Solutions Should Lead the Charge for Enhanced Network Security in 2013?

2012 has been quite the year for the mobile security industry. We’ve seen bring your own device (BYOD) come to the forefront of discussions, both in terms of its benefits and threats to network security. We’ve seen multiple strands of different trojans and malware that cost companies hundreds of thousands of dollars. Microsoft released Windows 8, thus sparking the debate over exclusively relying on DirectAccess in lieu of virtual private networks (VPNs). As a result of these major trends, we’re beginning to see industry-wide recognition that simple password protection is no longer sufficient. Rather, such techniques as split tunneling, two-factor authentication, and encryption offer safer ways to access corporate networks remotely. So we want to know, given the growing spotlight on threats to remote access, what solutions do you think should lead the charge for enhanced network security in the coming year? As always, feel free to elaborate in the comments.

What We’re Reading, Week of 11/5

Government Computer News – NIST spells out baseline security requirements for next-gen mobile devices
CSO – Election sabotage: A threat much older than hacked e-voting
InformationWeek – Malware Tools Get Smarter To Nab Financial Data
SearchSecurity – Remote access Trojan evades detection using mouse functions

What We’re Reading, Week of 10/22

LinuxInsider – It’s Not You, Android – It’s Your Apps
Network World – Gartner: Mobile Device management tech set to take off
InformationWeek – Windows 8: A Win for Enterprise Security
Ars Technica – Android apps used by millions vulnerable to password, e-mail theft

Forward Thinking: Network Security Predictions for 2012

Slimmer bodies, faster Internet connections, and better network coverage makes use of the latest smartphones and mobile devices all the more appealing to the public—and to hackers.

In 2011, smartphone users were introduced to mind-blowing features like Siri. However, they were also introduced to the major headache of mobile malware; and according to the following security experts, it will definitely continue to be a cause for concern in 2012.

“In the past, malware developers have concentrated on over 1 billion PCs in the world. However, as the number of mobile users has skyrocketed, smartphones have become an attractive target for malware producers. There are three motivations for malicious activity—fame, fortune and politics. We will see maturation in all areas, but we expect fortune-seekers to really come into their own in 2012.” – Kevin Mahaffey, Lookout Mobile Security’s chief technology officer.

“I know it’s a tad early for New Year predictions, but I’m going to beat the rush and make mine now: 2012 will be the year of mobile malware. That’s an easy prediction to make, because if you look at the numbers, 2011 was really the year of mobile malware, but only a handful of people have been paying close attention. Next year, you won’t be able to avoid hearing about it, and if you carry anything remotely ‘smart’ in your pocket—and you don’t carry adequate ‘protection’, as we used to say in high school—you may become a victim of it.” – Dan Tynan, writer at ITWorld.

“The mobile device, now the dominant technological tool in American enterprise, will become more dominant in 2012 and beyond. But it is not very secure, which puts users and the enterprises that employ them at greater risk. The combination of relative defenselessness and ubiquity means mobile devices will be an increasingly tempting target for attacks ranging from spyware to rogue applications. IBM’s IT security research team, X-Force, predicts 33 software exploits targeting mobile devices in 2012. That may sound small, but it is double the number released in the previous 12 months.” Taylor Armerding, writer at PC World.

What do you think? Will mobile malware be one of the biggest security threats next year?

About the author: Sylvia Rosen writes on a variety of telecom topics, including how to keep your unified communications, such as VoIP phone systems, secure in 2012.