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Hackers Are After Your Smartphone

Mobile devices, stuffed with personal data, become juicy targets

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 2, 2009 1:01 PM CDT

(Newser) – Cyber criminals are beginning to devise ways to break into smartphones, an increasingly juicy source of personal information. Until recently, phones weren’t seen as worth hacking because they contained so little data, but as more and more people carry pocket-size PCs like the iPhone, the likelihood increases that hackers will try—and eventually succeed—in breaking in, experts tell the Independent.

For now, the waters are mostly safe. “We’re probably where PCs were ten years ago,” says one cybersecurity guru. “But at some point soon someone will develop a killer application that is very successful at hacking into phones and all the bad guys will take notice.” A recent study concluded that 60% of smartphones contain sensitive data, like bank log-in info, but only 7% have any protective software.

In this April 18, 2007 file photo, a man checks his BlackBerry smartphone in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

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Mobile devices, stuffed with personal data, become juicy targets

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AT&T Customers Stunned by 'Unlimited Data' Limit

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Nokia Posts $1.4B Loss in 4th Quarter

But sales of Windows smartphones are meeting expectations

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And the gap is growing, new report finds

Scary New Problem: Distracted Doctoring

'NYT' reports on terrifying trend

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Russia blamed for water pump shutdown

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Mobile devices, stuffed with personal data, become juicy targets

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

cyberattack • hackers • smartphones • malware • mobile devices

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

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More Newser Stories

AT&T Customers Stunned by 'Unlimited Data' Limit

Top data users find smartphones 'throttled'

Nokia Posts $1.4B Loss in 4th Quarter

But sales of Windows smartphones are meeting expectations

Top 1% of Mobile Addicts Use Half the Bandwidth

And the gap is growing, new report finds

Scary New Problem: Distracted Doctoring

'NYT' reports on terrifying trend

FBI Probes Cyberattack in Illinois

Russia blamed for water pump shutdown

About Us

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Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?