McAfee released its Mobile Security Report 2009, which surveyed more than 30 international mobile device manufacturers. Results show that 63 percent of those surveyed felt that the carrier or user should foot the bill for security.
Just under one-third, or 31 percent, of the manufacturers felt that they should be responsible for the cost of security and 6 percent believed that security costs should be covered by other sources.
The report also revealed that handset manufacturers are focusing on some security measures more than others. Encryption and application certification were the most common security features installed at the factory, whereas content filtering and parental control were usually left to the carrier or user.
Mobile payments and banking were by far the biggest security threat to manufacturers, with 81 percent nominating them in their highest security concerns. Dan Hoffman, CTO of sMobile Systems, says the measures put in place by the banks don’t ensure secure transactions.
“Online banking uses password, encryption and anti-phishing software, but all of these measures rely on the fact that the device is secure.”
When asked how to best secure devices and deliver mobile security, only 12 percent of respondents believed that users should be responsible for activating or obtaining security features. An overwhelming 69 percent preferred the idea of an integrated solution requiring no user action.
Last year, McAfee focused its study on consumers, finding that up to 94 percent of all mobile users didn’t have mobile protection software on their mobile devices.