Safety, privacy and security across the mobile ecosystem

As more advanced and complex services are developed, the list of potential threats grows — and the scope for harm. Ever more sophisticated scams and attacks are developed and perpetrated, and criminals’ ability to intercept communications increases frequently, from large data thefts to the hacking and disclosure of private communications during the 2016 US elections. Less high-profile, but just as damaging on an individual level, is the prevalence of phishing scams, ransomware and money fraud.6 Of course, these target communications in general and not just communications from a mobile device, so solutions need to take a comprehensive view of the services in question.

This report takes each of the major issues of consumer protection, privacy, public safety and infrastructure security in turn. It highlights the potential issues, what is already being done to address them and what further actions may be needed. The issues are so important that the GSMA mobile operator members have concluded they must work more closely together, globally and at a national level, in order to ensure the most effective response.