illUStration by StUart bradFord

growing African mobile application is mobile banking. Previously a continent of largely unbanked populations, service providers are rapidly adding low-cost mobile banking solutions for their customers. One of the leaders in this important area is Kenyan mobile service provider, Sa-faricom. Its M-PESA mobile banking service obviates the need for a physical branch, allowing users to conveniently save, transfer, and spend large and small amounts of cash no matter their physical location or economic status. Rather than simply offering a mobile portal for existing bank customers, as is common in Western nations, M-PESA has created new customers from a population previously denied banking services. The continued growth of mobile banking has the potential to rapidly modernize commerce and personal finance in Africa.

Beyond assisting in the modern-
ization of African economies, mo-
bile phones have provided welcome
security uses as well. Following
post-election violence in 2008, Ke-
nyans were able to send SMS alerts
regarding outbreaks of violence,
thus allowing officials and activists
to accurately track and respond to
threatening situations (see http://
www.ushahidi.com/). In Tanzania,
police provided free mobile phones
to albino citizens in response to tar-
geted murders against that popula-
tion. The phones were programmed
with a special number to directly
contact the police allowing users to
report threats. 1

 

Security Vulnerabilities Certainly the potential gains for Africa are great, but a growing dependence on mobile phones elicits cause for concern. Worldwide trends indicate significant security problems for mobile telephony in the coming years. Mobile devices and networks will become increasingly vulnerable in every way that networked desktops and laptops currently are. Particularly as mobile phones become more vital to personal commerce and finance, the devices