SmartPhone Security

Smartphone Security

With talk of security issues with smartphones gathering momentum, there’s never been a better time to increase awareness of the ways you may be putting your data at risk. Modern advances to mobiles mean that there’s often far more at stake than losing contacts and text messages if a mobile is lost or stolen, and even if you don’t use a phone to access the internet or store sensitive data, you could still be at risk if not properly protected. We’ve compiled eight key concerns and outlined the ways in which you might be putting yourself at risk, and how to ensure that you don’t become part of a rising proportion of users that are being targeted by malicious parties.

Security tips – for safer smartphone use

Here are some useful tips :

·         Keep it locked 
Make sure your phone’s screen lock is on – at all times – so there’s less at risk if your phone falls into the hands of a cybercriminal. 

·         Encrypt your sensitive information 
If your phone includes data encryption features, make sure you use them. In the event of your phone being stolen, criminals will not be able to access the personal information that’s stored on your phone – if that information has already been encrypted. 

·         Monitor how apps behave on your phone 
Be aware of permission access / requests from applications running on your phone. It’s especially important to do this for Android smartphones. 

·         Protect your phone and your data 
Many users – that wouldn’t ever consider running a laptop, PC, or Mac computer without anti-malware software – forget that today’s smartphones are powerful computers… and they are vulnerable to the same risks. Make sure you use a reputable anti-malware program on all of your mobile devices – and ensure the antivirus databases are regularly updated. 

·         Be aware of the risks of jailbreaking / rooting 
Although it might be tempting to root or jailbreak your phone – in order to access specific apps or services – this will strip away the security. To help keep your phone and your data secure… don’t root or jailbreak your phone. 

·         Switch off Bluetooth… when you can 
If you’re not using your Bluetooth connection, it’s a great idea to switch it off. That way, you’ll make your phone less vulnerable to cyberattack… and you’ll reduce the drain on your phone’s battery. 

·         Choose a smartphone security solution with anti-theft features 
Some smartphone security products include a range of anti-theft features that give you remote access to your lost or stolen phone – so you can lock the phone, wipe data from it, and find its location.