"Just a Matter of Time..."

A recent article I read on CNN.com discusses the increasing threat of cyber attacks over smart phones, but it also questions the lack of any major attempts and a massive attack across the board. According to the article, the lack of this type of attack equates to the fact that much of the money is still in PC hacking, and the variety of operating available in smart phones makes it difficult to perform multiple hacks. However, a shift is occurring in the amount of financial transactions that occur through smartphones, and the fact that most phones don't use antivirus software makes these exchanges even more dangerous.

I'm not going to pretend I know really anything about computer hacking other than the fact that some people have the ability to monitor your device and gain access to bank accounts and other sources of personal information. The reason this article brought attention to me is that I recently learned of a new smart phone app through my bank - Coastal Federal Credit Union - that allows you to simply take a photograph and take that to the bank to use as a valid check. I was initially wary of this technology and the article confirms my suspicions. I doubt I will use this app anytime in the near future, but I know my family members already have. The fact that a hacker could gain access to information on smart phones without much antivirus resistance makes all of these new, "convenient" technologies dangerous in my mind.

CNN article

 

A version of the checking app