Case Study: HTC Security Flaws, Privacy Policies, and Solutions

This case study examines security flaws in HTC Android phones, specifically highlighting vulnerabilities that allow hackers to access user location, call history, and remotely disable devices. The analysis covers the Privacy Act 1988 and the Telecommunications Act 1997, emphasizing the importance of user data protection and responsible telecommunications practices. The case study recommends solutions such as VPN usage, compliance monitoring, mobile security awareness training, and securing mobile infrastructure. It also emphasizes the user's rights to be informed, access, object, rectify errors, lodge complaints, and data portability. The study also covers the importance of mobile security travel policies. The case study provides a detailed overview of the security vulnerabilities and offers recommendations for mitigation.

Case Study 1

ANSWER:
HTC contains certain security flaws that are listed below:
1) The hacker can find your location, call history, sent text messages and remotely
disable the user’s phone.
2) HTC smartphone user's data is exploited with the help of a malicious application,
and the internet access can be granted.
Therefore, it must follow the following privacy policies:
1) Privacy Act 1988: This policy refers to identifying the personal information of the user
to give the required products or services.
 The privacy policy protects sharing of the user's personal information by taking
their consent prior to sharing it with the third party.
 It ensures responding to legal requests, right of property protection, security and
safety of the customers.
 It ensures following proper contractual obligations.
 Offer solution for the deficiencies.
2) Telecommunications Act 1997: This policy refers to facilitating suitable community
safeguards with respect to the activities of telecommunications, and intends in regulating
enough participants in the industry [1].
 Telecommunications Act even includes promoting responsible practices to send
messages.
3) Mobile security travel policy: This protects the users from malicious and inadvertent
mobile data security breaching [2].
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ANSWER:
The recommendations for the HTC phone users includes the following [3]:
1) VPN usage: In case of using the Wi-Fi, mandating VPN usage can help in securing the
connections for the remote workers. VPN will function as a middleman between the
internet and a device– the website interacts with the VPN server and communicates with
the device. It provides encrypted interaction, where no one is allowed to see the data that
is shared online. Thus, absence of VPN means increased security risks.
2) It is suggested to have compliance monitoring.
3) Increase the awareness of mobile security via training.
4) Update the mobile's operating system.
5) Avoid the usage of public Wi-Fi, instead use secured Wi-Fi.
6) Only use trusted charging stations.
7) Use strong passwords.
8) Ensure securing of mobile infrastructure.
9) Utilize two-factor authentication.
10) Harden the endpoint for data security.
11) Ensure wrapping of apps.
Additionally, the HTC users must practice the following rights [3]:
1) Right to be informed.
2) Right to access and object certain processes.
3) Right for rectification of errors in the provided information.
4) Right to lodge a complaint and data portability.
5) Right to restrict processing.
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References
[1]"Telecommunications Act 1997", Legislation.gov.au, 2017. [Online]. Available:
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017C00179. [Accessed: 01- Apr- 2020].
[2]"Mobile Data Security", Imei.com.au, 2019. [Online]. Available:
https://www.imei.com.au/mobile-data-security. [Accessed: 01- Apr- 2020].
[3]"Privacy Policy", Htc.com, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.htc.com/in/terms/privacy/.
[Accessed: 01- Apr- 2020].
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