With the ever-presence of hand-held devices, smart phones and other mobile devices, it’s easy to forget that such items are simply small computers and therefore susceptible to the same attacks that get headlines on the nightly news.

As the lines blur between work-related devices and personal ones--BYOD (bring your own device), the dangers to organizations becomes very real. It is very easy to plant malware on a phone. Whether downloading an app that’s been compromised, clicking on a suspect link in an email, or the many other ways infections are spread, malware can find its way onto a corporate network via mobile devices and bypass perimeter defenses.

The malware appears dormant, but it's actually looking for passwords, account numbers and other sensitive information. All it needs is the opportunity to communicate this information back to its command and control. The next time the mobile device connects to the network, the malware simply moves the stolen data onto the BYOD. When the device is disconnected from the network it can “call home” and begin transmitting information without interference from the sophisticated layers of protection companies use to detect such occurrences.  The security on many “smart” devices and home security systems is not equipped to prevent these breaches.