No-one is going to have any sympathy for marketers when their apps get hacked

What will happen when brand apps attack? Not if, but when. Brand apps will turn on customers and fans, exploiting their most private – photos, conversations, transactions, behaviours and financials – and creating a spectacle of brand disasters, launched to the world by marketing departments and their digital agencies. It’s time to prepare, explains Peter Hewett, CEO of Quixxi Security.

This is not paranoid dystopia. It’s reality. Because hackers fish where the fish are, and hack where the vulnerabilities lie.

App attack ‘opportunities’ are growing to more than six billion worldwide by next year. In Australia alone, 90% of the population is exposed. These are the numbers of how many smartphones are in use – each a host for a brand’s app.

When an app goes rogue, customers will backlash

It’s obviously a massive opportunity for marketers. Not only are mobiles in just about everyone’s hands. Everyone also looks at them several times a day. People carry them everywhere. And usually sleep next to them too.

Be a member to keep reading

Join Mumbrella Pro to access the Mumbrella archive and read our premium analysis of everything under the media and marketing umbrella.

Become a member

Get the latest media and marketing industry news (and views) direct to your inbox.

Sign up to the free Mumbrella newsletter now.

"*" indicates required fields

 

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up to our free daily update to get the latest in media and marketing.