One Step Closer to Secure Mobile Devices

One Step Closer to Secure Mobile Devices
DARPA Funds Start-Up Company to Help Better Secure Android Smartphones

If you think you have a good patch management and verification program in place, think again!  Sure, you’re supplementing WSUS with Nessus scans or some other third party patch verification process.  But are you scanning your mobile devices?

Android Smartphones Vulnerability Scanning

These days, it seems every time we turn on our computers there is a notification for a new update or patch. While the frequency of these patch releases can be annoying at times, they are vital to keeping systems up to date with the latest security safeguards. Neglecting these updates may lead to a device or system becoming vulnerable not only to malicious malware, spyware, and viruses, but also to hackers looking for sensitive information.

Case in point: Android smartphones and tablets have to suffer through long waits between patch releases and security updates, leaving them wide open to outside threats.  This is concerning for business in particular due to the large volume of Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) which employees carry with them into the workplace.

Due to this lack of response from the manufactures, Duo Security, a start-up company, has developed and launched a new app with funding help from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) which will inform owners of any unpatched flaws on their system software. The Android app, known as X-Ray, will be able to scan the device’s system for known vulnerable systems components, cross-checking the system with their database software versions known to still contain flaws. The company reported that upwards of 15,000 people had downloaded the app in the first eight hours after launch.

Duo Security is hoping that this service will lead people to be better aware of security threats facing mobile devices. They hope to expand the service to include a greater range of mobile devices.

Original article “DARPA-Funded Service Seeks Flaws in Smartphones” by Robert Lemos

Read the full article here: http://www.darkreading.com/security-services/167801101/security/security-management/240004217/darpa-funded-service-seeks-flaws-in-smartphones.html