What: 
ACT | The App Association presents “Mobile Security and the App Ecosystem”
When: Thursday, October 26, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: Rayburn 2060
This is a reminder to join us for refreshments and a discussion about mobile security! On Thursday, the App Association will discuss the mobile security and privacy measures in place that protect mobile device users and what they mean for Congress. Then, Quokka will give a demonstration of its technology and show attendees how they enable government and private sector clients to leverage their tools to detect, prevent, and manage risks to mobile devices.
The policy debates around mobile security and privacy threats from foreign adversaries have revitalized interest on Capitol Hill in how privacy and security protections work on our mobile devices. Some proposals and lawsuits would address these issues with direct bans on specific apps or strict liability for anything harmful that may occur on an app distributed by an app store. In contrast to these efforts, some stakeholders are pushing privacy and security to the backburner in favor of pursuing antitrust goals, proposing must-carry mandates on app stores. The most notable of these bills in Congress are the Open App Markets Act (OAMA) and American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA). Policymakers would benefit, therefore, from a more in-depth understanding of the current status of security and privacy protections consumers and developers rely on now.
As the latest Nokia Threat Intelligence Report outlines, successful malware attacks on consumer devices are essentially only possible via sideloading (downloading unvetted apps from untrusted sources). The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is acutely aware of and responsive to mobile security dynamics on consumer smart devices in particular, issuing guidance recommending that federal employees stick to official app stores and research developers to avoid malicious apps. Over and above the official app store vetting and review mechanisms—which we will discuss—CISA also offers mobile app vetting (MAV) services to other federal agencies.
Panelists:
- Graham Dufault, General Counsel, ACT | The App Association
- Ilya Dreyster, Head of Sales and Customer Engineering, Quokka (App Association member company), provider of MAV services for the federal government, among other app and device security services for private and public sector clients
This is a widely attended event in accordance with ethics rules. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.