Here are some practical steps to help you minimize your mobile device’s exposure to Unauthorized Access and digital threats.
The rapidly changing technology and portability of mobile devices make people rely heavily on these products. Mobile phones perform some of our daily activities with enhanced performance, such as surfing the Internet, booking appointments, setting reminders, sharing files, instant messaging, video calling, and even mobile banking.
With all of these features in mind, cell phones are vulnerable to network threats and vulnerable to physical attacks because of their portability. Some security threats include malware specifically targeted at mobile devices, such as worms and spyware, unauthorized access, phishing, and theft.
But all is not yet lost. Here are some practical steps to help you minimize your mobile device’s exposure to digital threats.
1) Keep Your Tracking and Remote Locking Settings On
Here we assume that you have activated the screen lock of your mobile phone with a multi-digit password, face/fingerprint recognition, or a complex pattern. This is especially useful if you have lost your phone or your device is broken. If you think your screen lock prevents thieves from compromising your phone, you don’t know what tricks hackers can circumvent your phone’s original security mechanism. Even fingerprint and face recognition protection can be bypassed!
Here is a great way to lock your device. This is the first step in protecting your phone from hackers or anyone else who shouldn’t have access to your device. Fortunately, almost all telecommunications providers offer the Find My Device and Remote Key features. All you have to do is install these programs (if they are not pre-installed on your device) and register your device.
For example, you can use Find My Google for Android phones and My iPhone for Apple phones. These programs also give you the ability to lock your phone remotely. If you are sure that your phone is in the wrong hands, you can also clear the entire phone memory so that no one can misuse your data. Deleting data from your phone is a risky step. Back up your necessary data regularly.
2) Avoid public Wi-Fi
Everyone should be aware of the dangers of using an open web network, as a free web network in malls, cafes, airports, or any other public place is open to all sorts of internet pranks. Try not to use public Wi-Fi for your business work.
Whenever possible, try to use only your cell phone and turn off your internet connection completely when you are in a public place. If this is not possible, consider using a VPN program, a utility that tunnels network communication over an encrypted connection. But choose carefully – not all VPNs have the same quality. Also, consider turning off Bluetooth while you’re away if you don’t have a smartwatch that needs it.
3) Encrypt your device
Most portable devices come with built-in encryption. Encryption is the process of making data illegible. Decryption turns unreadable data into average data. This is important in the event of theft and prevents unauthorized access. To encrypt your device, all you have to do is find this feature and enter your password.
This process can take some time, depending on the size of your data. The more data, the longer it lasts. Most importantly, it would help if you remember the encryption password, as it is required every time you want to use your mobile phone.
Also, consider backing up your data for security, as some cell phones will automatically delete everything if an incorrectly entered password is encrypted.
4) Install security software tools on your mobile device
Antivirus programs and anti malware software are not limited to computers. It would be best if you used these software on your mobile phone to protect your data from hackers. While browsing the Internet, malicious websites can allow you to install various types of malware (such as viruses, trojans, worms, etc.) on your device. Your device can also be infected with malicious add-ons or email programs.
In addition to detecting and removing malware, security software can alert you when you visit a malicious website or download a malicious program. Some malware is downloaded to your phone without your knowledge.
5) Enable the Bluetooth connection lost notification on your smartwatch
Connect your phone to a smartwatch and turn on the Bluetooth loss notification feature (or any of the terms used in your particular device). This feature is available on Android and Apple watches. If the watch disconnects from Bluetooth, it notifies the user. If you are in a public place and the phone leaves the designated area, the smartwatch will notify you immediately.
The device’s Bluetooth connection is lost on average within 100 meters. Therefore, when you receive a message like this, you know that your phone is still nearby, and you can find it right away. You can hear the phone ring even when the device is not turned off. You can also use Find iPhone from iPhone or Find My Device to generate a beep (beep or ring tone) even when the phone is turned off.
Pro Tip: Protect Yourself from SIM Swapping
To protect your SIM card against unauthorized changes or to port, set a unique PIN or password with your mobile operator. This number you know and only need to access or change your mobile account (including porting your number/account to other devices).
You can also use programs like Google Authenticator, Authy, or Google’s no-code authentication method to add a new layer of security. Apple’s 2-step verification feature can send an OTP to a registered device (rather than a phone number) when someone tries to sign in from a new device. This adds an extra layer of SMS-based MFA security to your device.
In other words, even if an attacker inserts a new SIM card into a new device, they cannot activate it until they present an OTP that iOS sends only to your (registered) device or any other connected / connected phone number. You can also set a specific password so that no one can access your programs without entering those passwords.
