Smartphones have become a global phenomenon and in Japan in particular people are rapidly replacing their old cellphones with new handsets that are more like small computers with ever-increasing applications.
But with the boom comes concerns for security, and fears that personal information may be leaked via malware or some applications. The malicious software, often in the form of a virus, can work its mayhem unnoticed, bent on disrupting the operation of certain systems.
We look at recent smartphone security issues and how users can protect themselves: