[Trae Johnson]

Emerging vulnerabilities in both mobile and physical devices are increasingly common with each passing day that technology advances. Three important vulnerabilities and their respective countermeasures are as discussed here.

Mobile Device Malware and App-Based Threats

Mobile devices are being increasingly targeted by malware, which can be used to extract sensitive data, track users through GPS, or control the device functions remotely. Applications with poor design may allow malware and spyware to attack the users. Countermeasures include patching the latest updates in the operating system, installing only trusted applications, and multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access. (ISACA, 2023).
Vulnerabilities of Firmware in Medical Devices

These are particularly hit by firmware vulnerabilities, up 437% this year. Such vulnerabilities could result in unauthorized access and, on the other side, theft of data or even putting life in danger when critical medical devices are compromised. The risk associated with all these can be minimized by periodic updating of firmware, software supply chain security, and periodic vulnerability assessments by the healthcare provider. Health-ISAC, 2023
Physical Device Tampering

Physical devices may include smartphone-attached credit card readers that are susceptible to tampering techniques, such as skimming, which will allow them to steal any paying information. Herein, various physical measures would be required to encrypt stored data, use tamper-resistant devices, and forms of physical locks or other barriers against unauthorized access to the device. ISACA, 2023.
These can be drastically cut down by updating the software with patches and enhanced firmware, deploying robust encryption, and multi-factor authentication. The users will consequently ensure that their sensitive information is secured.

References

Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Health-ISAC). (2023). Exploitable vulnerabilities that expose healthcare facilities surged nearly 60% since 2022. Retrieved from <https://h-isac.org&gt;
ISACA. (2023). Mobile computing device threats, vulnerabilities and risk are ubiquitous. Retrieved from <https://www.isaca.org&gt;