Mobile Malware Implications for IT Management

Abstract

Since the turn of the century malicious software, called malware, has been generated to infect not only computer systems but also ‘smart’ mobile phones. This malicious code is designed specifically to infect the mobile devices and disrupt the operation of the device or to send messages or make calls, resulting in financial loss to the user. The paper analyses trends in mobile malware from the listings of the malware descriptions. These trends show the increasing severity of the mobile malware problem, the introduction of new malware types, and the changing focus on the malware objectives; predictions of possible future trends are made. The implications of these trends for organisational management are discussed, and possible countermeasures to the risks are suggested.