Nothing Is Completely Secured, Even Your Mobile- Time to Act!

Change in technology cannot be ignored at any pace, especially in the mobile realm. Given all these functionalities, more and more people are found relying on these smart devices day in day out. This even calls for an increase in vulnerable to online threats and are also susceptible to physical attacks due to their portability. Malware designed explicitly for mobile devices, i.e. worms and spyware, unauthorized access, phishing, and theft are some of the best examples to take into account. Here’s how you don’t become a victim of any such threats and secure your data.

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Although technological advancement is making our lives better but at the same time, hackers are becoming smarter and sharper. The more we connected to the internet, the more we are prone to threat by consuming tons of data stored on a smartphone or tablet. I mean everyone will have a mobile or a laptop incorporating personal data; this is when securing your mobile device comes into play. Imagine a situation where you forget your phone in taxi or god forbid it gets snatched from your hand- no matter how you strive hard smartphone thefts physically or virtually are on the rise. Over a couple of years, mobile threats have popped up, thus compromising the security of individuals, organizations or functioning of a government. For example, Google recently fixed a flaw in Android which allowed attackers to execute malicious codes by sending an image file.

Like it or not, mobile malware is a frontier ripe for cybercriminal activity. The unfortunate reality is that as more and more people use their phones to go online, more cybercriminals will hear the call. In the following post, I would like to share how to dodge the ball and safeguard oneself from becoming a victim of any of these threats.

1. PIN code or password- According to several researches, many mobile users don’t use a lock screen code on their device for security. This is one of easiest or should I say something least you could do on your device. Thankfully, all the latest smartphones feature lock screens being protected with a password while many new smartphones incorporate a fingerprint sensor, so all you have to do is enable it.

In any case, if your phone unattended at a restaurant you visited or when your phone gets stolen- you can safeguard by letting an average thief misusing your number, contacts, data.

2. Careful use of public WI-Fi-

Usage of Wi-Fi has raised to a great extent, and we all seem to be simply living it! But have you wondered cheap can turn expensive in a very devastating manner? Why? Because most of Wi-Fi points aren’t encrypted. People can easily eavesdrop on the network traffic and easily get your passwords, usernames, and other sensitive information. So what you need to do is, use applications that secure your connection or at least notify you the status of Wi-Fi you are connected; i.e., WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) or WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy).

Also, make sure to turn off wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) when you are not using them.

3. VPN is a must-have – Much like public Wi-Fi’s even services inside an organization aren’t as secure as there are a vast number of employees using the same network be it for work and personal use. Neglecting such networks could affect the efficiency of the workplace. So, all you have to do is use a VPN service which will secure the connection on the device, make the uploaded and downloaded data anonymous and safe irrespective of the Wi-Fi network.

4. Keep Phone up To Date- Whether you are using Apple or Android, your phone should be up to date. Often than not, these updates include fixes toward boosting security and shutting down vulnerabilities. Now updating your piece doesn’t necessarily mean you have to buy new devices every time an update comes from either of the two manufacturers. In addition to this, don’t miss the release monthly or bi-monthly security updates.

5. Encryption and remote wipe- Smartphones today can encrypt the files on the device with industry-grade protection. This also means even if an attacker gains access to your device, he will no longer be able to access your sensitive content unless and until they crack the code that has been generated for that particular file. Right from bank credentials to login details and business agreements several crucial information can be saved on their primary smartphone.

In case if the phone gets physically stolen, you can easily wipe all of the data on their stolen phone all you require is robust remote access. This will keep your sensitive information safe and unused by the hacker. Have you heard about “Find my Device” tool which also helps to locate the stolen phone in case it’s still active? You can use this as well.

Final Verdict

No matter how hard you try, there is always the potential of your personal data falling into the wrong hands. Don’t let a situation happen when losing a device will make you suffer. Today, all of our personal and banking details are associated with our devices and phone number so worrying is totally valid. Just keep backing up your important data regularly. When I use the word data, it could refer to anything from bank account credentials to the pictures of your dear ones, agreements regarding your business. Always remember to stay safe and one step ahead of a threat.

Author Bio

Kara Danvers is Tech Writer by profession who works at Tatvasoft Australia, provides software development services. She writes amazing technology related tips, informative and outstanding blogs about the latest mobile app and web development technologies.