Skip to content
  • About Us
  • Foundation
  • News & Insights
  • Member Directory
  • Job Board
  • Sign In
  • Join
Home > Thought Leadership > Mobile Insecurity – Going Viral
Boston Chamber
  • Events
        • Events

          • Overview
          • Events Calendar
          • Chamber Awards
          • New Chamber Event Series
        • ...
          Pacesetters
          Doing Business with Mass General Brigham

          Join us for our installment of the Pacesetters Doing Business series featuring Mass General Brigham on August 7, 2025.

          08/07/2025

          1:00pm - 2:00pm

          Virtual

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          BIMA
          2025 BIMA Summer Sizzler

          The BIMA Summer Sizzler is a chance to network with your digital media industry peers from the agency, publisher, and adtech community!

          08/14/2025

          6:00pm - 9:00pm

          Fenway Park

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Talent
          Skills for the Future: How to Upskill Early Talent for Success

          Join Boston’s leading educators and industry experts to explore career-aligned high school programs, in-demand workplace skills, and innovative school partnerships driving student success

          07/17/2025

          9:00am - 11:00am

          Omni Boston Hotel Seaport

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Learning & Development
        • Learning & Development

          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
          • Insights
        • Transformational DEI Certificate

          This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Authentic Professionalism for Early Career Professionals

          In this highly interactive workshop with Strategic Career & Leadership Coach Carole-Ann Penney, you’ll define your professional identity and develop strategies to confidently navigate workplace dynamics.

          Read More
  • Economic Inclusion
        • Economic Inclusion

          • Overview
          • Pacesetters
          • Resources
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Small Business
          Small Business

          Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Policy & Impact
        • Policy & Impact

          • Overview
          • Leadership Councils
          • Amicus Advisory Board
        • GET INVOLVED IN OUR POLICY FOCUS AREAS

          Business Climate
          Read More
          Climate & Energy
          Read More
          Health Care
          Read More
          Housing & Development
          Read More
          Talent
          Read More
          Transportation
          Read More
  • Our Networks
        • GBCC’s Networks

          • Overview
        • OUR NETWORKS

          Small Business

          Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.

          Read More
          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          BIMA

          BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.

          Read More
          Women’s Network

          For over 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          Read More
  • Membership
        • Membership

          • Overview
          • Membership Benefits
          • Membership Levels
          • Member Stories
          • Request a Meeting
          • Join Today
        • Chamber Membership
        • About Us
          Our Impact

          Explore our mission and values to better understand how we are leading the business community forward.

        • Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
        • Membership Directory
          Not sure if you’re a member?

          Our member directory is your resource to discover, connect, and engage with Boston’s businesses from every industry and sector.

        • For our members

          • Member Resources
          • Member Deals
          • Sponsorship Opportunities
          • Connect with your Member Services Rep
          • Sign In
  • join
Bostonchamber
Boston Chamber
  • Events
        • Events

          • Overview
          • Events Calendar
          • Chamber Awards
          • New Chamber Event Series
        • ...
          Pacesetters
          Doing Business with Mass General Brigham

          Join us for our installment of the Pacesetters Doing Business series featuring Mass General Brigham on August 7, 2025.

          08/07/2025

          1:00pm - 2:00pm

          Virtual

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          BIMA
          2025 BIMA Summer Sizzler

          The BIMA Summer Sizzler is a chance to network with your digital media industry peers from the agency, publisher, and adtech community!

          08/14/2025

          6:00pm - 9:00pm

          Fenway Park

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Talent
          Skills for the Future: How to Upskill Early Talent for Success

          Join Boston’s leading educators and industry experts to explore career-aligned high school programs, in-demand workplace skills, and innovative school partnerships driving student success

          07/17/2025

          9:00am - 11:00am

          Omni Boston Hotel Seaport

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Learning & Development
        • Learning & Development

          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
          • Insights
        • Transformational DEI Certificate

          This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Authentic Professionalism for Early Career Professionals

          In this highly interactive workshop with Strategic Career & Leadership Coach Carole-Ann Penney, you’ll define your professional identity and develop strategies to confidently navigate workplace dynamics.

          Read More
  • Economic Inclusion
        • Economic Inclusion

          • Overview
          • Pacesetters
          • Resources
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Small Business
          Small Business

          Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Policy & Impact
        • Policy & Impact

          • Overview
          • Leadership Councils
          • Amicus Advisory Board
        • GET INVOLVED IN OUR POLICY FOCUS AREAS

          Business Climate
          Read More
          Climate & Energy
          Read More
          Health Care
          Read More
          Housing & Development
          Read More
          Talent
          Read More
          Transportation
          Read More
  • Our Networks
        • GBCC’s Networks

          • Overview
        • OUR NETWORKS

          Small Business

          Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.

          Read More
          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          BIMA

          BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.

          Read More
          Women’s Network

          For over 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          Read More
  • Membership
        • Membership

          • Overview
          • Membership Benefits
          • Membership Levels
          • Member Stories
          • Request a Meeting
          • Join Today
        • Chamber Membership
        • About Us
          Our Impact

          Explore our mission and values to better understand how we are leading the business community forward.

        • Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
        • Membership Directory
          Not sure if you’re a member?

          Our member directory is your resource to discover, connect, and engage with Boston’s businesses from every industry and sector.

        • For our members

          • Member Resources
          • Member Deals
          • Sponsorship Opportunities
          • Connect with your Member Services Rep
          • Sign In
  • join
  • About Us
  • Foundation
  • News & Insights
  • Member Directory
  • Job Board
  • Sign In
  • Join

Mobile Insecurity – Going Viral

January 20, 2017

If you’ve been to the Common recently you might have thought you were on-set at an episode of the Walking Dead. Hundreds of people, ambling around with their arms outstretched, seemingly possessed. They’re not zombies, they’re playing Pokémon Go! Few mobile apps have gone viral as quickly as this game. Niantic, Inc., the developers, have pulled off an ingenious feat that blends augmented reality (adding on virtual elements to the real world), physical activity, and a form of captive marketing where business owners can pay to turn their stores into “PokéStops” to attract highly distracted customers.

Unfortunately, there have been some missteps along the way. The first version of Pokémon Go requested full access to your Google account, which granted the developers free reign over your Gmail, photos, calendar, Google Maps location history, and every other Google product you might use. Google says, “full account access’ privilege should only be granted to applications you fully trust.” The developers offered a mea culpa once the news broke and promised the issue would be resolved eventually.

Even if we assume it was a genuine mistake, we should take it as a teachable moment. Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. We use our phones to conduct banking, keep in touch with loved ones, and stay on top of work, among many other activities. Because of this, smartphones have become a target of hackers. By some estimates, 1 in every 5 smartphones has some form of malware installed. Android devices have long been the favorite target of malware makers. Because of the fragmentation of the Android platform, with each manufacturer, like Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and others, free to create their own variations, it becomes very difficult for Google to get Android users on the latest version of the software, which often includes many security updates. The most they can do is give the latest software to their partners and wait for them to push the software to their customers. What’s worse, Motorola recently announced they won’t commit to making monthly security patches available to their customers’ phones. In a statement, they said “because of the amount of testing and approvals that are necessary to deploy them, it’s difficult to do this on a monthly basis.” If I owned a Motorola phone, it would have just gone in the trash. These problems aren’t just limited to Androids either. Windows Phone has long been vulnerable (but statistically irrelevant) and this past year has seen malware with names like XCodeGhost and AceDeceiver released for Apple’s iOS platform.

Where does this leave us? Vulnerable. We have to pay attention to what we’re installing. We have to buy phones from providers that are committed to mobile security. And from an enterprise perspective, we need to ensure mobile security is part of our risk assessment process.

Let’s focus on mobile security so the phrase “Catch ‘em all!” continues to refer to Pokémon, not malware.

Nick DeLena is a Senior Manager of IT Audit & Security at OCD Tech, a Division of O’Connor & Drew, P.C., one of the most well-respected regional accounting, tax and business/IT consulting firms in New England.

265 Franklin Street
Suite 1701
Boston, MA 02110
Get Directions
Contact us
  • Events
  • Learning & Development
  • Economic Inclusion
  • Policy & Impact
  • Our Networks
  • Membership
  • join
  • About Us
  • News & Insights
  • Member Directory
  • Job Board
  • Sign In
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2025 Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. All Rights Reserved.

Popular Resources

  • Small Business  
  • News & Insights  
  • Member Resources  
  • Small Business  
Close