Mobile Apps Fail to Secure User Names, Passwords, User Data:
Survey  By Fahmida Y. Rashid  |  Posted 2011-08-09  Many mobile
applications are storing sensitive user account information
unencrypted on the mobile device, according to a recent survey
of popular smartphone apps.  The survey included 100 apps
spanning multiple categories, including financial management,
social networking, productivity and retail, ViaForensics said
Aug. 9. The digital security firm tested apps for both Android
and iOS devices over an eight-month period with the ViaForensics
appWatchdog audit tool.  The data stored and transmitted can
include security credentials, personal financial information,
private communications and sensitive company data, researchers
wrote. The appWatchdog tool examines what kind of data is being
stored on the device. The company has tested other apps before,
notably finding flaws in the PayPal app last fall.  "Smartphone
apps handle usernames, passwords and private app data, all of
which should be stored sec