Lookout: Mobile Security Predictions for 2012

Lookout creates mobile applications for Blackberry, Android, iOS, and Windows Mobile. These applications are cloud-connected and web-based. They include virus protection, tracking, and data protection. We are now hearing from the company that mobile threats are on the rise. In fact the company has now issued a new blog post detailing their mobile security predictions for 2012.

Lookout security says that malware is on the rise, especially for Android users. Over 1000 applications have been determined to be infected since the beginning of July 2011. In addition, the likelihood of encountering a mobile application that is infected has increased to 4 percent. This is an increase from just 1 percent likelihood at the beginning of the year. Phishing is also on the rise as well. Phishing is using a fake site made to look like a site you normally use (like a bank). You log in, not suspecting that the site is fake, and hand over your account credentials in the process. In the case of a bank site, your bank account is then emptied. Mobile users are now 36 percent likely to encounter phishing, with a 40 percent likelihood in the United States. Check out the gallery below for more details.

If you do not have a smartphone, you are still at risk. Using mobile SMS/calling billing, hackers are just a click away from billing your carrier fraudulently. GGTracker was the first example of this in the United States. In recent weeks, RuFraud was a threat that targeted Eastern Europe. Botnets are also on the rise, with Lookout saying that the botnets have done little this year, but will be heavily activated and used in 2012 Mobile threats, including GGTracker, have stolen at least 1 million dollars from users this year alone.

Kevin Mahaffey, a co-founder and chief technology officer for Lookout, says that:

In 2012, we expect to see the mobile malware business turn profitable. What took 15 years on the PC platform has only taken the mobile ecosystem two years.

2012 looks like it will be a rough year for users, who will face even more threats to their security and data on mobile devices.

Images: Courtesy of Lookout