Not So Smart Phone!

graphics courtesy of the USCS

Just like the graphics say..."are you smarter than your phone?" Let's face it, with 65% of the world's population already owning a cell phone, you could say it's just a matter of time until everyone does and that makes everyone vulnerable to a degree when it comes to cybercrime. Cell phones are ingrained in the lives of everyone in the developed world and most of the rest and they're also one of the easiest and most vulnerable points of entry for any hacker considering a cyber crime.
Statistics show that only half of smart phone users have any form of a P.I.N. or password protection. It also shows that even less of those using their phones to do online banking use any form of encryption or security software. In fact, many people don't see cybersecurity as a threat on their personal devices and less than 30% of users bother with protective measures, compared to 91% of computer users. With the many dangers created by things like rogue apps that can scan handsets for personal information and devices that can intercept transmissions sent through WiFi connections, you would think more care would be put into self-protection, yet it seems to be lacking.
And, as the graphic suggests, there are some really simple and basic steps that go a long way to giving users some form of protection.

Only purchase a mobile device from well know and recognized brands, which come with an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)

Make it necessary to type in a password to access your phone and change that password regularly.

Use anti-virus software to protect your personal data.

Keep updates current, particularly for the security patches.

Don't store sensitive information on your phone but if you must, get apps that allow for the storage behind yet another password-protected barrier.

When entering websites via your phone, check for "https" in the address bar, as this indicates a secure connection.

Only turn on Bluetooth when making the connection and turn it off afterward, to avoid unknown apps and viruses from making their way onto your device.

Do not connect to unprotected WiFi access points.

Do not download unknown software from the Internet.

Log out of all websites when done, especially financial institutions

Do not give out information by e-mail and do not open unknown links.

Make regular back-ups of your phone and its' data.

Do not let strangers have access to your phone, even for a minute or two. Hackers can install spyware into your phone in such a short amount of time that this is not worth the risk.