Roughly 1 in 3 Americans own a smartphone and a tablet. That means a huge chunk of the population is vulnerable to mobile malware attacks. It’s this rapid change in our Web browsing habits that has webmasters and advertisers convinced to include mobile platforms in their digital marketing strategies. Unfortunately, hackers have caught on to the trend and are beginning to target MORE mobile sites and users.
A Rise in Mobile Malware Attacks
Sucuri, an expert cyber security resource, recently reported that cyber attacks through mobile platforms have been on the rise. Hackers, seeing that more and more people are browsing the Internet on their phones, have shifted their focus to vulnerable websites that cater to mobile users.
So if you own a website/blog that you’re optimizing to be mobile-friendly, you could be the next target of black hats. As it turns out, they want to infiltrate your website so they can inject harmful spam and malware throughout.
You could be in trouble if they successfully hack your domain. Not only will they make you spread destructive malware unknowingly, their scheme could make you lose the trust and confidence of your customers/subscribers.
Mobile Users Beware of Hackers
Hacked websites often spread dangerous spam and malware via unwanted pop-up ads. If you inadvertently click on those pop-ups, you could be redirected to malicious websites that show either a toolbar or mobile app download page.
There will be dire consequences for mobile site users who unconsciously download such suspicious content. Clicking a link on a malware-infested web page could lead to any of these dangers:
- Having your media files (e.g. pictures, videos, audio, documents, etc.) stolen
- Giving hackers arbitrary access to email and back-end interfaces
- Getting sensitive information from your browsing activity stolen
- Having annoying ads injected into websites you visit
- Downloading destructive ransomware and PUPs (potentially unwanted programs)
In case you accidentally end up on a page that has no relation to the website you were browsing, leave immediately. Be wise enough not to install anything that you didn’t really mean to while you’re browsing your favorite sites/blogs, too.
Most Secure Mobile Browsers
We often use the pre-installed Web browser on our smartphones to access the Internet. While the likes of Firefox, Chrome, and Safari offer decent protection against phishing and malware attacks, there are other mobile browsers that are designed with total online security in mind. Some even give emphasis on private browsing since these are good countermeasures against websites that download adware and backdoor viruses onto your device.
Let’s take a look at the best browsers for surfing the Web securely:
CM Browser
CM browser is packed with security features most users will probably need. It scans every file download, warns of potentially dangerous websites, and lets you delete cookies, history, and passwords for an absolutely private Web browsing experience. CM Browser definitely delivers on its promise to protect users against fraudulent or malicious activities.
Dolphin Zero
If you’re after total user privacy while surfing the web, Dolphin Zero may be your best bet. It promptly deletes cache, downloaded files, cookies, and browsing history after every session is over. It also refuses to track user location, address book, and passwords so snoopers have no valuable data to steal from your smartphone in case it gets compromised.
Yandex Browser
Available to iOS and Android devices, Yandex Browser claims to provide faster Internet connections and secure online browsing. A tall order, sure, but it’s worth noting that Yandex offers a “Turbo Mode“ as well as supports an integrated security system called Protect. With Protect, you can reduce the risk of infection when using public Wi-Fi or visiting possibly fraudulent websites.
Ghostery
With Ghostery, you get notified every time a page you’re about to visit contains ad trackers. You may go incognito on Ghostery, too. The Web browser boasts about offering total user privacy and it’s clear how it delivers on that end.
Orbot
Absolute online anonymity is what you get when you download Orbot. Acting as an extension of the Tor network for mobile browsers, it promises to keep browser history completely hidden from third-party monitoring sites.
Do you know what else you can do to protect yourself and your mobile devices from various online threats? Keep your apps updated.
