Security in Bluetooth and Other Mobile Devices - Assignment Example

"Mobile devices are attractive targets because they are well connected, often incorporating various means of wireless communications." (Zhang, 2008) These mobile phones can be the entity of the person or of the organization whose information has to be accessed. The only problem with a mobile device or blue tooth is that it is not as secure as other devices like laptops as it is not provided with hardware-based roots of trust therefore the information or the data stored in these mobile phones can be easily accessed by the process of jailbreaking or rooting. The issues that arise due to the inefficiency and the lack of security encountered by mobile phone devices are not so extreme and can be countered if effective measures are taken to overcome the security threats that persist. "New research reveals 68 percent of mobile device owners who have not adopted financial apps are holding back due to security fear." (Software Immune System). The reason why these mobile phones are not reliable is that android phones can be easily hacked and the iPhone was hacked before it was even released raising doubt about their security in the minds of all.

              The industry which I will take into consideration is banking because of the increasing security threats that are associated with it because of the use of mobile devices. The problem arises as only a limited number of people take time out to secure their phones while the rest leave them accessible to harmful software and hackers. Many users these days get their mobile phones jailbroke or rooted so that they can have access to millions of apps available unaware of the fact that these apps can damage the security of the phone making it prone to malfunctioning. These phones which lack security increase problems for banks and other finance sector as they can not limit access of the users to such applications, mobile devices, or how the user utilizes the mobile phone.

              To keep mobile devices secure banks need to take initiatives on their own so that the integrity of the bank. Banks need to realize that these mobile devices provide an aggressive setting and those applications enabled on the phone are unsafe therefore banks need to take preventive measures on their own and not rely on their customers. Banks and designers who design software are aware of the ongoing security threat in their minds therefore 'public key cryptography is ensured so that security remains intact but this is just not enough. Hackers and software designed to disrupt the system can alter the functioning of the applications. These can change the account numbers, bring changes to accounts, start false dealings, save passwords and pin codes, etc. more actions are needed to secure the apps available on mobile phones whereas it is essential to take preventive security measures to increase the communication protocols. (Ahonen, 2008)

                   The five steps that banks can take to ensure security is as follows. Firstly, to suspect and find out rare and unintentional activities that happen in the bank end through the means of "risk-based authentication and anomaly detection". Secondly, providing mobile devices with untrusted applications can comprise various security structures. Thirdly banks can incorporate another device that can maintain security adding more to the capability of the smartphone itself known as"Out-of-band authentication". Fourthly, integrating the operating system of mobile which can also suggest various security enabling features and options. Finally, incorporating such hardware that can consist of multiple layers of security apart from what the mobile operating system can provide on its own. (Home - Bank Systems & Technology)

                  Implementing mobile technologies and wireless systems are beneficial in a bank and its need cannot be omitted under any circumstances such as mobile banking, funds transfer, wireless protocol implementation, banking facilities, the emergence of ATMs, etc.  (Flower, 2012) All these facilities are only possible through mobile and other wireless resources and are essential components of the functioning of a bank. Thus considering the everyday requirements of a bank to cater the best possible services to its customers, managers need to imply wireless services and mobile technologies in a bank.

                A strong system needs to be established that is based on the techniques mentioned previously in my paper with proper checks and balances to avoid any sort of inherent threat that might come it is the way. To protect the technology from any sort of issues, one needs to have safe information technology IT security that prevents and stops the data to get lost, secures it, and keeps control of the information in the laptop, personal computer, smartphones, or tablets. Secondly, information assurance is required so that in case of any mishap the data remains intact using back up. These two technologies are essential to counter the security issue. The problems that arise with wireless radio signals can be interference either manmade due to excessive commands or a fluctuation caused by movement etc.

         In a nutshell wireless technology and mobile devices are essential in all fields of life and one cannot under any circumstances omit their use it. Measures can be taken to overcome or deal with any issue that might affect the integrity of the system. Today various industries especially the banking sector have taken preventive alternative measures to deal with security threats and provide ease and convenience to employees and customers.