Mobiles on cyber attack target in 2015: Symantec

Mobiles will become a target of cyber attacks in 2015 as they store up a trove of personal and confidential information and are left switched on all the time, making them the perfect targets for attackers in Asia Pacific and Japan, a report said Thursday.

"Mobile devices will continue to become a target for cyber attackers especially when such devices store up a trove of personal and confidential information and are left switched on all the time," the report said here.

The report "The threat landscape in 2014 and beyond: Symantec and Norton Predictions for 2015, Asia Pacific and Japan", also stated such devices will become even more valuable due to mobile carriers' and retail stores' transition to mobile payments.

"With smart home automation gaining popularity amongst consumers across Asia Pacific and Japan, Symantec anticipates that commoditised 'plug and play' consumer devices such as CCTV cameras and remote access controls for alarms, lighting and climate control will be exploited by cyber criminals," it said.

It stated all indications are that 2015 will bring more of the same pattern like 2014, with the struggle between those wishing to create new threats and exploit vulnerabilities and those looking to protect against them likely to intensify.

"Advancements in the Internet of Things also means consumers will have increased connectivity across their devices, gadgets and machines - and with this connectivity comes the potential for a whole new range of security risks."

According to Symantec's internet security threat report, ransomware attacks grew by 500 percent and turned vicious in the latter part of 2013.

"The year 2015 will see the evolution of the Personal Data Protection Act, especially in the Asia Pacific region as it makes a real impact in people's lives, ensuring individuals and organisations have the right mindset with regards to online security and cyber crime prevention," it said.

In 2015, we expect to see more and more data hosted in the cloud but as this move occurs, businesses will need to take a closer look at data governance and ensuring their data is cleaned before it is hosted in the cloud.

It mentioned that the fight against cyber crime cannot be won alone and the security industry together with telecommunication providers and governments from around the world are joining forces to beat the war on cyber crime.