If you use a computer you've already been exposed to the need to adapt security protocols to protect your business and personal computing devices. Not doing so can lead to painful and expensive consequences like those horror stories we hear about personal identity theft, bank and credit card fraud - through to PC hijacking where not-so-nice-hackers demand money to unlock your PC. Your mobile devices are no different. In fact so little is done on those devices that the average person has no idea the flood gates they open when they download what on the surface seems to be a fun new app.
A friend of mine pointed out some very obvious hints we should all adhere to when making that final decision about an app – and if you should trust it. She used the example of apps that allow you to turn your phone into a flashlight. On the surface this seems legit, but if you’ve tried to download such an app you’ve probably experienced that deciding moment when the app asks you for control of – you entire device. In this case why would a flashlight need to access your contacts, SMS history, pictures, browsing history, camera, microphone, phone etc? – the answer is it doesn’t which begs the question: why are these apps asking for this access?
I’m not going to attempt to answer that question but I will provide some basic tips on how to take back control - it's your device and data after all. Some corporate and government organizations mandate built-in kill switches on the devices which their employees use to help prevent unauthorized use of a mobile device, and can even prevent crime from occurring in the first place. There are apps you can buy that can do the same thing but alone they aren’t enough to fully protect you against today’s digital threats.
Lock Your Screen
A thief won't know if your screen is locked or not but doing so means they can never get to your data. I prefer using an alphanumeric password. I heard an interview on NPR with the people at the Onion Network and they recommended that a password (on any device) should have at least 15 characters.
Set Passwords and User Privileges
Just as locking your screen can prevent individuals from accessing the contents within, so can setting passwords and user privileges for the various applications that you have installed. Android devices have many built-in security features which can help protect your phone from prying eyes – if you have an Android device, take advantage of these features!
Use Secured Networks and Secure Protocols
If at all possible, be mindful of your data usage when in public. If you are downloading data over the air or via an unsecured, public Wi-Fi network, you leave yourself exposed to hackers. If your home network is unsecured, you should fix that immediately. When you are in a situation where you need to do something sensitive on your mobile device, look for the secured option offered by the website you are visiting. What you need to do in this case is tweak the URL from http://www.... TO https://www.... HTTPS is a protocol for secure communication over a computer network which is widely used on the Internet. HTTPS consists of communication over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) within a connection encrypted by Transport Layer Security or its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer.
Pay for Anti-Virus Software
Anti-virus software isn’t just for laptops and desktop computers. Quite the contrary; there are a multitude of anti-virus apps available for mobile devices that can protect against malware, viruses, and hacking attempts. I always opt for the paid version. Most smart phones cost more than 500 bucks so an investment of under $10 is worth it.
Only Download Apps from Trusted Sources
It should go without saying that if you’re downloading apps for your Smartphone; you should stick to reputable and trusted sources – iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, and Blackberry World. Don’t download applications onto your phone or tablet directly from the Internet unless you can be assured that the application is safe. Which begs the question, how do you know the application is safe? Apps can and do carry malware.
Ask the Right Questions
When in doubt, pay attention when you are installing new Apps. Read all the prompts as apps must disclose what they want to access on your device. Reputable Apps only ask for what they need. Questionable apps want access to data on your device that are completely unrelated to the purpose of the app (like the flashlight example mentioned at the beginning of this post).
