Who is really listening? The Hidden Risks in Mobile Communications
Recent breaches in major telecom networks serve as a critical warning for organizations regarding the risks associated with confidential communications. Most people don’t realize that sensitive information can be exposed even if secrets aren’t discussed on openly on a call.
How so? Public telecom networks prioritize reachability over security, leading to vulnerabilities such as identity spoofing and the potential for malicious actors to intercept communications. Metadata leaked or stolen metadata, that is mobile communication records, can be very telling. Call records can allow adversaries to track patterns of communication and potentially lead to the identification of good spoofing or cyberattacks targets. The recent infiltration of networks, such as Verizon in the US or some European government networks as covered in the media, further escalated these risks. Hackers who obtain this kind of data can see sensitive communications in real time as it occurs, and in some cases, this may include the content of messages sent between important political figures. (the Trump campaign confirmed being hacked in August this year). Even more relevant perhaps is the ability of hackers to figure out who in a business network is talking to who, with what frequency or where they are when they are talking. It allows them to predict when an attack would be most likely to succeed – or even who needs to be taken down at the same time.
To safeguard against these vulnerabilities, we believe organizations should deploy strong mobile security tools. Devices need to be protected and so do the tools used to communicate. If you are still using a free platform to talk to your clients, this is a good time to think twice. Free services owe no obligation to protect your calls or your data and, if your device or the device of who you are calling isn’t secured from the outset, the information pushed into the platform isn’t secure at all.
The threats facing business are evolving quickly. For this reason, it is imperative for governments and organizations to prioritize securing communication solutions to ensure true control over data. Talk to us about getting your business secured.
Nicholas Sarvari,
CNS Risk