London, UK: Proofpoint, Inc. has announced from Black Hat USA 2015 the launcing of Proofpoint Targeted Attack Protection (TAP) Mobile Defense, providing security teams with the ability to stop malicious Android and iOS mobile apps before they compromise sensitive data. Proofpoint TAP Mobile Defense leverages technology assets recently acquired from Marble Security and extends Proofpoint’s proven threat intelligence and advanced threat protection for email and social media security.
“Targeted attacks have historically been conducted over email and social media, but attackers have found a new and lucrative threat vector, malicious mobile apps,” said David Knight, executive vice president and general manager of Information Security Products for Proofpoint. “By tricking users into downloading their malicious apps, attackers can siphon off private data including email content, contacts and other personal details. Proofpoint TAP Mobile Defense allows cybersecurity teams to detect and stop bad apps before sensitive data is compromised.”
According to recent Marble Security research, more than 30 percent of Android apps are capable of leaking users’ private data, and many iOS apps are vulnerable. In addition, a new class of mobile malware, exemplified by WireLurker, Masque and others, expose organizations to sensitive data loss by allowing cybercriminals and hostile governments to target Android and iOS users. These attacks socially engineer mobile users into serving as entry points to corporate data repositories, including SharePoint and file shares, which are increasingly accessed by mobile devices.
Research has also found that many apps, even in legitimate app stores, are mining private data and sending the information to unauthorized servers around the world. This exposes companies to data loss, compliance violations and future targeted attacks. With Proofpoint TAP Mobile Defense, IT administrators can detect apps with risky behaviors.
Proofpoint TAP Mobile Defense can also proactively remove malicious apps by leveraging its tight integration with the leading enterprise mobility management (EMM) platforms, including MobileIron and AirWatch by VMware. In addition, TAP Mobile Defense intelligence integrates with Proofpoint Targeted Attack Protection, which uses the latest in big-data anomaly detection and advanced malware sandboxing to protect users from sophisticated, targeted attacks—regardless of the channel the attackers try.
"We are committed to bringing our customers innovation to power their strategic mobility initiatives and by joining forces with Proofpoint, we will be able to better serve companies battling new malware,” said John Spencer, vice president of Ecosystem, MobileIron.