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2020 Predictions: Mobile Security

Anthony Di Bello, vice president, strategic development, OpenText
2020 will be a key year for mobile device security given new demands placed on these devices. While employees and consumers have started to take a more proactive approach when it comes to cyber security over the past few years, there is still more that can be done around mobile devices. Organizations have enjoyed the multiple benefits of BYOD, and employees desire even more business functionality on their devices – but the implications for security are enormous. Fortunately, as the concept of the network perimeter has changed with the rapid adoption of cloud and mobile technologies, attitudes towards security have shifted. Businesses now realize that breaches – including breaches involving mobile devices - are inevitable. Businesses must embrace a solution that provides security without compromising privacy or functionality. As the concept of a network perimeter further dissolves over the coming years, the enterprise especially will need to re-shape security strategy to account for the flexibility we are extending our work force. It’s time to acknowledge a simple fact, you can’t protect what you can’t see.

Theresa Lanowitz, head of evangelism, AT&T Cybersecurity
Shared responsibility for 5G security will emerge: While 5G networks are designed with security, organizations need to understand the risk this new technology presents from an expanded attack surface due to the proliferation of IoT devices. In order to combat these challenges, a 5G shared responsibility security model will likely emerge in 2020 (similar to the approach with public cloud). ()

Hagai Shapira,  SAM
G to drive Botnet DDoS attacks. 2020 will be the year of 5G, bringing with it not only faster speeds and bandwidth capabilities to our mobile devices, but also making them highly coveted targets by DDoS attackers. While mobile devices have always been targeted by financial or personal data thieves, 5G's increased bandwidth allows attackers to take control over a relatively small number of mobile handsets and unleash a tremendous amount of damage. A potential DDoS attack may be distributed via an innocent-looking app on the Play or App store and an attacker just needs a few hundred installs to create a massive outbreak.  

WatchGuard Technologies

Attackers will find new vulnerabilities in the 5G/Wi-Fi handover to access the voice and/or data of 5G mobile phones. The newest cellular standard, 5G, is rolling out across the world and promises big improvements in speed and reliability. Unknown to most people, in large public areas like hotels, shopping centers, and airports, your voice and data information of your cellular-enabled device is communicated to both cell towers and to Wi-Fi access points located throughout these public areas. Large mobile carriers do this to save network bandwidth in high-density areas. Your devices have intelligence built into them to automatically and silently switch between cellular and Wi-Fi. Security researches have exposed some flaws in this cellular-to-Wi-Fi handover process and it’s very likely that we will see a large 5G-to-Wi-Fi security vulnerability be exposed in 2020 that could allow attackers to access the voice and/or data of 5G mobile phones.

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