If your organization stores large volumes of sensitive data and utilizes numerous connected devices, protecting those endpoints is critically important. When data and devices are not properly secured, spyware can infiltrate the network, opening the door to data breaches, operational disruption, and full-scale cyberattacks.
The ramifications of Mobile Spyware are severe. Spyware-related incidents will damage your business’s reputation, expose confidential information, jeopardize compliance requirements, drive customers away, and lead to significant financial loss. For many organizations, these ramifications can be devastating.
That’s why keeping security up to date is essential. Understanding mobile spyware, how it works, and how to remove it gives your organization the knowledge it needs to prevent these threats before they take hold.
At COEO, we understand the importance of protecting data, devices, and networks across every location. We’ve helped hundreds of customers strengthen their security posture by implementing modern solutions designed to detect, block, and prevent spyware and other malicious activity.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of what mobile spyware is and the actions your organization can take to prevent it.
What is mobile spyware?
Mobile spyware is a form of malware that secretly installs itself on a user’s smartphone or tablet and collects data without their knowledge. Although spyware can target any type of device, it has become especially common and highly effective on mobile devices due to the amount of personal and business information they store.
Once installed, mobile spyware can monitor a wide range of activities. Mobile spyware can track a user’s location, access call logs and text messages, capture passwords and credit card information, and even activate the device’s camera or microphone. In many cases, this information is sent directly to malicious actors.
Mobile spyware is also frequently used for cyberstalking, enabling someone to monitor, harass, or track a victim electronically.
Spyware often penetrates a device through malicious apps, links, or file attachments. A user often unknowingly clicks a harmful link in a text message or email or downloads an app that appears legitimate but contains hidden malware.
Once the link is clicked or the app is installed, the spyware runs silently in the background, giving attackers full visibility into the user’s activity and sensitive data.
For organizations, understanding how mobile spyware works and how to prevent it is essential.
Employees rely on mobile devices every day, and without proper protection, a single compromised device could expose confidential information, create compliance risks, and threaten overall business security.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about network security solutions and how they can help you prevent malware such as mobile spyware, please contact us.
How to prevent mobile spyware
Mobile spyware puts both employee privacy and critical business data at risk. A single infected device can create serious vulnerabilities across your entire organization.
Because the consequences can be severe, it’s essential to understand how to prevent this type of malware before it gains access to your network. Some of the ways to prevent mobile spyware from penetrating your devices include:
Employee mobile security training
One of the simplest ways to prevent mobile spyware from penetrating your devices and really any other form of malware or cyberattack is to train employees on the importance of prevention and how employees can help secure the network and data.
Training employees on mobile security will help them understand how to identify threats and how to respond to threats when they are identified.
Some of the topics that employees should be educated on to help prevent mobile spyware include the dangers of downloading apps from third-party app stores, signs an app may contain malware, how to spot and handle email and text phishing attempts, and the risks and best practices related to using public WiFi networks.
Learning these topics will help employees understand the importance of security and how to prevent security risks.
Use MDM and MTD tools
Another way to prevent mobile spyware penetration is to incorporate MDM and MTD tools. These tools offer more control over data and devices, helping secure devices connected to the network.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) focuses on managing and securing devices by enforcing security policies and configurations.
MDM tools enable IT admins to enforce policies that ensure software on devices is up to date. These tools also block apps from being downloaded that are not from the app store and separate personal and corporate data on devices.
MDM tools also incorporate password reinforcement policies, ensuring passwords are safe and updated, provide compliance monitoring, and provide lists of applications that are allowed to be downloaded and applications that are required to be blocked.
In addition, Mobile Threat Defense (MTD) can be incorporated for specialized threat detection and can integrate with MDM tools to provide more enhanced security features.
MTD tools will detect attacks on mobile devices and block them before they damage devices and compromise data.
Implement a SASE solution
Another option to prevent mobile spyware or other malware and security concerns is implementing a SASE solution. SASE incorporates SD-WAN connectivity along with security features in an all-in-one solution that improves network performance and security.
Some of the security features that SASE incorporates include FWaaS, SWG, and ZTNA. These features combined with SD-WAN connectivity can secure the network, protecting edge devices and preventing malware such as mobile spyware and other cyberattacks from damaging the network.
Determining the security solutions that will help prevent mobile spyware
Now you understand what mobile spyware is and how to prevent it from entering and causing havoc in your network and on your devices. Understanding the ways to prevent mobile spyware will help you determine which security solutions are the best options to prevent mobile spyware.
No organization can afford to have its devices accessed by malicious actors, resulting in sensitive data being compromised. This will cause negative ramifications, leading to legal consequences caused by non-compliance, damaged business reputations, lost customers, and lost revenue.
To prevent these consequences, it is important that your organization understands what mobile spyware and other types of malware are and how to prevent them from attacking your network. This will keep your employees safe as well as your hardware and data.
COEO understands how important reliable data security and security over devices are and has delivered hundreds of security solutions, such as SASE to protect the network, endpoints, and sensitive data.
We want you to understand what mobile spyware is and how solutions like SASE can help protect your network.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about network security solutions and how they can help you prevent malware such as mobile spyware, please contact us.
Now that you understand what mobile spyware is and how to prevent it from attacking your network, read this article to understand the signs that mobile spyware may be on your devices and how to remove it:
