The Hack Letter from mobiles.co.uk

mogrim

Just had a look at mobiles.co.uk and noticed that it states. 100% secure. I now trying to come to terms with life being unfair and too short to harbour the rage inside. Thanks for all the posts. It is helping.

agarnett

gjchester wrote: »

You say it doesn't wash with you how we accept lesser security for convenience but let me give you a real world example.

Look at something like internet banking. Often its protected by asking for an account or reference number, and Password or Pin if you use a PC. Maybe even with something to do a second level of identification ie you need to enter a secret code generated form your card and a device as some banks use.

Then look at the banks mobile app. These are scaled down but tend to ask for lesser details to log on.

You may not like it, but the general public want convenience, and will give up security to get that.

Interesting example. I use internet banking but never from my mobile phone. I just happened to realise when the possibility of internet banking on a mobile arose, that mobile phone operating systems are likely not as secure as my PC. Most people don't know that. So they haven't willingly given up security. They have been enticed to do so unwittingly.

Of course, mobile phone security is improving. With my new 2015 laptop I seem to have been given free McAfee security which is offering to secure all my devices. I don't know how good it is compared to the more mature PC based security products. You don't actually see much written about mobile security. I actually tried Kaspersky mobile security a couple of years ago but it slowed my less than brand new mobile OS so much that I gave up on it before I ever did anything particularly insecure! An overloaded operating system is perhaps as insecure as a "protected" OS. Isn't that how many infamous corporate hacking attacks have been implemented? Deliberate overload ?

I don't know what your own experience in business has taught you, but yes I have in the past stored a great deal of data with regard to customers, potential customers and even a few ex-customers. That was years ago when Data Protection and associated Risk Assessment was in its infancy. It isn't now. Corporates do know the risks but keep taking them until they are forced not to.

I think from what you write, you might say "That's Business - Take it or Leave it", but others of us might say it isn't right, it's wrong.

redux

Before Carphone Warehouse and TalkTalk demerged, I had to ask them 6 times to remove me from marketing mailings and phone calls about their home broadband.

I did this the first time because when they told me how much they would offer a landline and broadband for, I said we were paying several pounds a month less than that, I was asked who with and declined to say, then he abusively accused of lying.

I had a Three mobile contract organised by CPW in 2003, and they still had records of this several years later.

Then I had an O2 contract via mobiles.co.uk in about 2006

I haven't received the apology letter, but I'm tempted to contact them and see if I'm still listed in any of their records, and whether these were affected by this breach.

Guys_Dad

agarnett wrote: »

I seem to have been given free McAfee security which is offering to secure all my devices. I don't know how good it is compared to the more mature PC based security products.

Actually, you would have to go a long way to get a more mature product if you trace its heritage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Solomon%27s_Antivirus

However, I find that it and Norton don't do anything for my PC performance.

Paul_Herring

However, I find that it and Norton don't do anything for my PC performance.

From memory I found the exact opposite. It was a drain on my PC's performance to not a lot of effect...

agarnett

http://www.lse.co.uk/ukMoneyNews.asp?code=ufmoqjgj&headline=UPDATE_4TalkTalk_gets_ransom_demand_after_hit_by_cyber_attack

Original source of story today appears to be Thomson Reuters.

Actually I see MSE have published their own article as a News item today, plus there is a new thread started today in the Broadband and Interent Access forum.