A Review of Smartphone Security Challenges and Prevention

Abstract

With the invention of a powerful, portable and lightweight device called a smartphone, there has been a very high number of its usage and a subsequent rise in the security issues involved in using a smartphone. Smartphones have gone from being non-existent many years ago to being heavily relied upon by a lot of people globally. This is because it is highly functional and contains various features. It is used for many different things like internet banking, entertainment, ecommerce, communication, mathematical calculations and many other things. Various types of smartphones and their distinct features were also identified, with android smartphone, iPhones, Window and Symbian being the top popular types of Mobile devices. Irrespective of the type of smartphone, there is a lot of data stored on it and most of the data stored are sensitive and susceptible to attack. There are a number of causes for smartphone security issues which can vary based on the type of the smartphone. Some of these causes were identified to be outdated OS or third-party apps, use of public WiFi, low security network protocols, physical breach and convergence. There are many examples of the security issues of smartphones which includes; malware attack, phishing attacks, spyware, identity theft, data invasion and theft and OS exploits. In the research work, we looked into ways to prevent these security issues which include; timely updates of OS and third-party apps, use of secure WiFi, use of antivirus, authentication and authentication. Desk research involving the literature review of “Smartphone” and “Smartphone security challenges and prevention” journals and articles were used. The research paper aimed to provide a concise knowledge and clear understanding of smartphones, its security and the prevention of the security challenges and also highlight the preventive measures that could be put in place to secure smartphones

Mobile Technologies at Risk: A Literature Review on the Evolving Challenges and Solutions in Mobile Technology Security

“…In today's contemporary world, mobile phones have surpassed computers as the most widely used electronic gadget due to the expansion in the global economy, which has encouraged rapid developments in mobile phone technology (Yahya et al, 2023). The security challenges of smartphones are not just a projection; research discovered that threats to mobile security are increasing (Oludayo et al, 2023). The general problem is widespread, and the increasing use of smartphones has brought unparalleled connectivity and convenience but has also created a significant and growing security challenge.…”