Loading...

How Mobile Devices Can Endanger Your Organization’s Cyber Security

Published: January 21, 2014 by Guest Contributor

An employee who never uses a mobile device – personal or company-supplied – for business purposes is becoming a rare creature, indeed. Use of mobile devices is prevalent across virtually every industry, and the convenience and flexibility these devices offer professionals can be great for business. Provided, that is, those devices are secure.

Mobile devices continue to be a significant source of data breaches, and a particular concern for anyone engaged in cyber security, according toeSecurity Planet’s Data Breach Roundup. Mobile-related data breaches stem from a range of circumstances, including loss or theft of devices, failure to use anti-malware, or failing to password-protect a device being used for business purposes. Devices can put your data at risk if an employee stores any proprietary information on a mobile device, or if workers use unsecured devices to access your network – even if you’ve taken steps to secure the network itself.

Managing mobile devices can be one of the most challenging aspects of your overall cyber security program, but it’s imperative and – fortunately – not impossible.

Minimizing mobile device risks

CTIA, The Wireless Association, offers some guidelines for mobile device cyber security in its whitepaper “Today’s Mobile Cybersecurity: Blueprint for the Future.” The organization points to five cornerstones of mobile cyber security:

  • Education about the importance of mobile security
  • Devices with security features like anti-malware and anti-spam settings
  • Strong, enforced network security policies
  • Authentication for all network users
  • Secure connections, from cloud to network

Many tools exist to help your organization ensure secure footing on each of those cornerstones. CTIA cites options like risk management, security policies and monitoring. We would add to that list, and emphasize the importance of a data breach response plan that addresses the specific challenges and risks associated with a mobile-spurred data breach incident. While your organization can take strong, reasoned steps toward minimizing risks, it’s equally important to be ready to respond when a breach occurs.

Mobile device security is sure to be a growing issue throughout 2014, as more people than ever use smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices to work more efficiently. With the right precautions, you can help ensure your employees work safely, as well.

Related Posts

Click fraud is a costly, often overlooked threat affecting digital businesses. Learn what it is and how behavioral analytics can help stop it.

Published: June 12, 2025 by Devon Smith

Fake IDs have been around for decades, but today’s fraudsters aren’t just printing counterfeit driver’s licenses — they’re using artificial intelligence (AI) to create synthetic identities. These AI fake IDs bypass traditional security checks, making it harder for businesses to distinguish real customers from fraudsters. To stay ahead, organizations need to rethink their fraud prevention solutions and invest in advanced tools to stop bad actors before they gain access. The growing threat of AI Fake IDs   AI-generated IDs aren’t just a problem for bars and nightclubs; they’re a serious risk across industries. Fraudsters use AI to generate high-quality fake government-issued IDs, complete with real-looking holograms and barcodes. These fake IDs can be used to commit financial fraud, apply for loans or even launder money. Emerging services like OnlyFake are making AI-generated fake IDs accessible. For $15, users can generate realistic government-issued IDs that can bypass identity verification checks, including Know Your Customer (KYC) processes on major cryptocurrency exchanges.1 Who’s at risk? AI-driven identity fraud is a growing problem for: Financial services – Fraudsters use AI-generated IDs to open bank accounts, apply for loans and commit credit card fraud. Without strong identity verification and fraud detection, banks may unknowingly approve fraudulent applications. E-commerce and retail – Fake accounts enable fraudsters to make unauthorized purchases, exploit return policies and commit chargeback fraud. Businesses relying on outdated identity verification methods are especially vulnerable. Healthcare and insurance – Fraudsters use fake identities to access medical services, prescription drugs or insurance benefits, creating both financial and compliance risks. The rise of synthetic ID fraud Fraudsters don’t just stop at creating fake IDs — they take it a step further by combining real and fake information to create entirely new identities. This is known as synthetic ID fraud, a rapidly growing threat in the digital economy. Unlike traditional identity theft, where a criminal steals an existing person’s information, synthetic identity fraud involves fabricating an identity that has no real-world counterpart. This makes detection more difficult, as there’s no individual to report fraudulent activity. Without strong synthetic fraud detection measures in place, businesses may unknowingly approve loans, credit cards or accounts for these fake identities. The deepfake threat AI-powered fraud isn’t limited to generating fake physical IDs. Fraudsters are also using deepfake technology to impersonate real people. With advanced AI, they can create hyper-realistic photos, videos and voice recordings to bypass facial recognition and biometric verification. For businesses relying on ID document scans and video verification, this can be a serious problem. Fraudsters can: Use AI-generated faces to create entirely fake identities that appear legitimate Manipulate real customer videos to pass live identity checks Clone voices to trick call centers and voice authentication systems As deepfake technology improves, businesses need fraud prevention solutions that go beyond traditional ID verification. AI-powered synthetic fraud detection can analyze biometric inconsistencies, detect signs of image manipulation and flag suspicious behavior. How businesses can combat AI fake ID fraud Stopping AI-powered fraud requires more than just traditional ID checks. Businesses need to upgrade their fraud defenses with identity solutions that use multidimensional data, advanced analytics and machine learning to verify identities in real time. Here’s how: Leverage AI-powered fraud detection – The same AI capabilities that fraudsters use can also be used against them. Identity verification systems powered by machine learning can detect anomalies in ID documents, biometrics and user behavior. Implement robust KYC solutions – KYC protocols help businesses verify customer identities more accurately. Enhanced KYC solutions use multi-layered authentication methods to detect fraudulent applications before they’re approved. Adopt real-time fraud prevention solutions – Businesses should invest in fraud prevention solutions that analyze transaction patterns and device intelligence to flag suspicious activity. Strengthen synthetic identity fraud detection – Detecting synthetic identities requires a combination of behavioral analytics, document verification and cross-industry data matching. Advanced synthetic fraud detection tools can help businesses identify and block synthetic identities. Stay ahead of AI fraudsters AI-generated fake IDs and synthetic identities are evolving, but businesses don’t have to be caught off guard. By investing in identity solutions that leverage AI-driven fraud detection, businesses can protect themselves from costly fraud schemes while ensuring a seamless experience for legitimate customers. At Experian, we combine cutting-edge fraud prevention, KYC and authentication solutions to help businesses detect and prevent AI-generated fake ID and synthetic ID fraud before they cause damage. Our advanced analytics, machine learning models and real-time data insights provide the intelligence businesses need to outsmart fraudsters. Learn more *This article includes content created by an AI language model and is intended to provide general information. 1 https://www.404media.co/inside-the-underground-site-where-ai-neural-networks-churns-out-fake-ids-onlyfake/

Published: March 20, 2025 by Julie Lee

Financial institutions can help protect clients by educating them on the warning signs of fraudulent lottery scams.

Published: March 12, 2025 by Alex Lvoff