Importance Of Smartphone Security
The Connnecticut Better Business Bureau advises that phone users dedicate as much time, energy and money to protect mobile devices as they do with personal computers.
The Connnecticut Better Business Bureau advises that phone users dedicate as much time, energy and money to protect mobile devices as they do with personal computers.
Connecticut BBB: Be smarter about smartphone security
These days, many people use their smartphone as, at least, an extension of their computers and, at most, a replacement. So it makes sense for the Connnecticut Better Business Bureau to advise that phone users dedicate as much time, energy and money to protect mobile devices as they do with personal computers.
According to the BBB, a number of aggressive malware developers are working diligently to discover ways to get malicious software inside mobile devices and smartphone owner need to take stronger precautions.
"We have a tendency to consider our mobile devices primarily as telephones,"said Connecticut Better Business Bureau spokesman Howard Schwartz in a news release. "A more accurate view is that a smart phone is really a portable computer that is capable of making telephone calls. Too many smart device users don't understand or worry about existing and potential new threats to personal and financial information stored in their smart phones and tablet devices."
According to one estimate, more than a half of smart device users don't even use a password to lock their phones as they would with their personal computers.
Phones and tablets also are exposed to security threats in public settings - such as coffee shops and other establishments that offer complimentary Wi-Fi hotspots. Because these hotspots often aren't password-protected, thieves can use them to hack into phones and tablets.
Not only do consumers use their phones to store login and password combinations, banking and other personal information, but texts and email also can reveal personal information that could be used for fraud or to commit identity theft.
Some mobile phones also contain payment apps that are linked to their owners' credit cards, and other apps that keep users logged in for days or months, or until we manually log out.
Researchers also have found malware in smart devices similar to what we they would detect in a personal computer.
One example is "ransomware." Ransomware manifests itself as a pop-up screen that locks your device and scrambles its contents. The screen will have a telephone number to call where you are told to pay the ransom to receive a decryption key to restore access to your files. BBB and law enforcement recommend against paying the ransom because there is no guarantee the hackers will hold up their end of the deal, nor restore all of the data on your phone. Instead, experts recommend regularly backing up your smart devices.
The BBB offers the following tips to be smarter about your smart devices:
Invest in a security suite - That would include anti-malware, virus protection and other security tools similar to the ones available for personal computers.
Store important personal information somewhere else - There are apps that allow you to store passwords and other sensitive information in a remote location accessible from your phone or tablet.
Turn off services unless you need them - Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth all represent open doors for hackers. If you only turn them on when you need them, your device will be safer, and it will also increase battery life.
Download and apply updates - Operation system and software updates are designed to improve functionality, however, they also close security loopholes when they are discovered.
Erase your tracks in a rented vehicle - If you connect your smartphone into a vehicle's USB port, the entertainment system will have access to a considerable amount of information. When you bring back the car, make sure you delete your profile. Ask for help if you are not sure how to do so. If you want to charge your phone, it is safer to plug it into the vehicle's lighter socket.
The Connnecticut Better Business Bureau advises that phone users dedicate as much time, energy and money to protect mobile devices as they do with personal computers.
Connecticut BBB: Be smarter about smartphone security
These days, many people use their smartphone as, at least, an extension of their computers and, at most, a replacement. So it makes sense for the Connnecticut Better Business Bureau to advise that phone users dedicate as much time, energy and money to protect mobile devices as they do with personal computers.
According to the BBB, a number of aggressive malware developers are working diligently to discover ways to get malicious software inside mobile devices and smartphone owner need to take stronger precautions.
"We have a tendency to consider our mobile devices primarily as telephones,"said Connecticut Better Business Bureau spokesman Howard Schwartz in a news release. "A more accurate view is that a smart phone is really a portable computer that is capable of making telephone calls. Too many smart device users don't understand or worry about existing and potential new threats to personal and financial information stored in their smart phones and tablet devices."
According to one estimate, more than a half of smart device users don't even use a password to lock their phones as they would with their personal computers.
Phones and tablets also are exposed to security threats in public settings - such as coffee shops and other establishments that offer complimentary Wi-Fi hotspots. Because these hotspots often aren't password-protected, thieves can use them to hack into phones and tablets.
Not only do consumers use their phones to store login and password combinations, banking and other personal information, but texts and email also can reveal personal information that could be used for fraud or to commit identity theft.
Some mobile phones also contain payment apps that are linked to their owners' credit cards, and other apps that keep users logged in for days or months, or until we manually log out.
Researchers also have found malware in smart devices similar to what we they would detect in a personal computer.
One example is "ransomware." Ransomware manifests itself as a pop-up screen that locks your device and scrambles its contents. The screen will have a telephone number to call where you are told to pay the ransom to receive a decryption key to restore access to your files. BBB and law enforcement recommend against paying the ransom because there is no guarantee the hackers will hold up their end of the deal, nor restore all of the data on your phone. Instead, experts recommend regularly backing up your smart devices.
The BBB offers the following tips to be smarter about your smart devices:
Invest in a security suite - That would include anti-malware, virus protection and other security tools similar to the ones available for personal computers.
Store important personal information somewhere else - There are apps that allow you to store passwords and other sensitive information in a remote location accessible from your phone or tablet.
Turn off services unless you need them - Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth all represent open doors for hackers. If you only turn them on when you need them, your device will be safer, and it will also increase battery life.
Download and apply updates - Operation system and software updates are designed to improve functionality, however, they also close security loopholes when they are discovered.
Erase your tracks in a rented vehicle - If you connect your smartphone into a vehicle's USB port, the entertainment system will have access to a considerable amount of information. When you bring back the car, make sure you delete your profile. Ask for help if you are not sure how to do so. If you want to charge your phone, it is safer to plug it into the vehicle's lighter socket.
Comments
Post a Comment