Title: Exploration of attack vectors facilitated by mobile devices

Authors: Jun Zheng; Casey Mortensen; Yang Wang

Addresses: Department of Computer Science and Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, USA ' Department of Computer Science and Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, USA ' Department of Computer Science and Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, USA

Abstract: Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have become an important part of most people's everyday life. As the number of mobile applications (apps) has grown rapidly, there are various apps written with malicious intent raging from passive data gathering to active interference with other people's connection to steal credentials, etc. All these apps could allow attackers to use mobile devices as attacking tools for hacking purpose and cyber criminality. In this paper, we present a broad exploration of possible attack vectors that could be launched through mobile devices. We also offer some advice for countering these attacks.

Keywords: mobile devices; attack vectors; countermeasures; information security; smartphones; tablets; mobile apps; malicious intent; hacking; cyber crime.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBCRM.2013.058985

International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 2013 Vol.4 No.4, pp.371 - 386

Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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