We’ve
come to depend on our smartphones so heavily it is hard to remember what we did
before we had them. If you have a smartphone, you now carry a fully functional
computer in your pocket or purse. That’s a tremendous amount of information at
your fingertips! Therefore, it is paramount that you safeguard the
smartphone.
Common
Risks for Smartphones
Take
a moment to consider each of these areas:
- Loss
of device and information theft.
Smartphones are small and can easily be lost or stolen. Unauthorized users may
access your accounts, address lists, photos, and more to scam, harm or embarrass
you or your friends; they may leverage stored passwords to access your bank and
credit card accounts, steal your money or make credit card charges; gain access
to sensitive material, and more.
- Social
Engineering.
A common mobile threat is social engineering. Whether via text message, image,
or application to download, an incoming communication may be an attempt to gain
access to your information. A current
example consists of a text message that comes from an unknown number, telling
you that if you click on the link provided, you’ll have access to thousands of
free ringtones. If this sounds too good
to be true, that’s because it is. The
link is in fact a malicious link.
Clicking on it will compromise the security of your
smartphone.
- TMI
(Too Much Information). Guidelines
for protecting privacy, safety, and reputation when sharing via computers also
apply when sharing via smartphones. Mobile devices enable instantaneous
capturing, posting, and distribution of images, videos, and information. They
may also broadcast location information.
- Public
Wi-Fi. Smartphones
are susceptible to malware and hacking when leveraging unsecured public
networks.
- Bluetooth
and Near Field Communications (NFC).
Bluetooth is a wireless network technology that uses short-wave radio
transmissions to transmit voice and data. NFC allows for smartphones to
communicate with each other by simply touching another smartphone, or being in
proximity to another smartphone with NFC capabilities or a NFC device. Risks with using NFC and Bluetooth include
eavesdropping, through which the cyber criminal can intercept data transmission,
such as credit card numbers. NFC also
has the risk of transferring viruses or other malware from one NFC-enabled
device to another.
Simple
Steps to Protect Your Smartphone:
- Update
the operating system. Smartphones
are computing devices that need to be updated. Updates often provide you with
enhanced functionality and enriched features, as well as fixes to critical
security vulnerabilities. Your smartphone manufacturer should notify you
whenever an update is available.
- Use
of security software is a must.
As
the smartphone market is increasing, so too is the amount of malware designed to
attack smartphones. The software security solutions that are available for
desktops and laptops are not as widely available for smartphones. A key
protection is to use mobile security software and keep it up-to-date. Many of
these programs can also locate a missing or stolen phone, will back up your
data, and even remotely wipe all data from the phone if it is reported
stolen.
- Password-protect
your device. Enable
strong password protection on your device and include a timeout requiring
authentication after a period of inactivity. Secure the smartphone with
a unique password – not the default one it came with. Do not share your
password with others.
- Think
before you click, download, forward, or open. Before
responding, registering, downloading or providing information, get the facts. No
matter how tempting the text, image, or application is, if the download isn’t
from a legitimate app store or the site of a trusted company, don’t engage with
the message.
- Understand
the terms of use. Some
applications claim extensive rights to accessing and leveraging your personal
information. If the app requires more
access to your account and/or device than is needed to run the service, do not
continue. In addition, be aware that terms can change over time. Review your terms of use
often.
- Be
cautious with public Wi-Fi. Many
smartphone users use free Wi-Fi hotspots to access data (and keep their phone
plan costs down). There are numerous threats associated with Wi-Fi hotspots. To
be safe, avoid logging into accounts, especially financial accounts, when using
public wireless networks.
- Disable
Bluetooth and Near Field Communication (NFC) capabilities when not in
use.
Capabilities such as Bluetooth and NFC can provide ease and convenience in using
your smartphone. They can also provide an easy way for a nearby, unauthorized
user to gain access to your data. Turn
these features off when they are not required.
- Enable
encryption. Enabling encryption on your smartphone is one
of the best ways to safeguard information stored on the device, thwarting
unauthorized access.
- Securely
dispose of your device. With the constant changes and upgrades in the
smartphone market, many are upgrading their devices on a regular basis. It is important that you wipe the information
from your smartphone before disposal.
Additionally, make sure any SD cards are removed and erased. If you are
not redeploying the SIM card to another device, then make sure your personal
information stored on the SIM card is erased or destroyed.
For
More Information:
For additional information about securing mobile devices, please
utilize the following resources:
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