Ransomware goes mobile
Security experts have been warning the industry and the public for years that smartphones are the next big target that is due for a major cyberattack. Much like how attacks on PCs became commonplace back in the 1990s, in the coming decade, mobile phones are the next most likely target. They are generally unprotected by antivirus software, usually unmanaged, excessively powerful, and contain massive amounts of valuable information. Targeted phishing combined with ransomware as a means of exploiting the target is the most likely combination of threat tactics that will be employed.
Indications that this scenario will play out in this manner have already emerged. In the summer of 2014, a large number of user's mobile devices, iPads, and iPhones, located in Australia and the UK, reported that they had been subject to a mobile device attack that held their Apple devices and accounts hostage until they paid a $100 ransom.
Figure 3: A screenshot...
