Love it or hate it, being a modern person means having a phone and being online. It also means dealing with constant threats of being hacked, having private information stolen, and being exposed to financial theft. Today, keeping your devices safe requires more than just a simple password, and while this can be frustrating to deal with, it’s also something you can’t afford to ignore.
That said, there are some simple ways to help protect yourself, which can’t be overlooked.
Common Areas of Attack
Of the many ways that your phone can be compromised, three stand out above the rest. The first is simple password breaking. That can happen for many reasons, but one that people underestimate is how we tend to keep similar passwords. ExpressVPN’s survey noted that more than half of users in the US forgot and had to reset their passwords at least once a month. This process is frustrating and can lead us to use similar passwords over many devices, making it easier for outsiders to hack.
The second cause of problems is the result of unsafe links or public networks. These can install malware and other snooping systems on your phone, letting hackers monitor and steal your data. The third cause is physical device theft, where your phone is stolen when you put it down, out of your bag, etc.
So, how do we manage these challenges?
Building a Defence
For the issue of passwords, a great idea can be to use a password manager that relies on biometric unlocking. As explained by Techopedia, biometric systems rely on the direct input of your physical characteristics to be unlocked. That means your face or thumbprint will be needed, which many mobile phones already implement. The advantage here is that even indirectly, biometrics can be used to associate with unique, long, and complicated passwords. Using a biometric password manager can maximize security strength even if the system converts biometric input into a simple text password.
Unsafe links and public networks can be harder to avoid. Generally, you should never click on a link anyone sends you unless they explain it first, as other people’s hacked accounts can send malware messages this way. In terms of networks, avoid using unsecured systems. For another step, a malware scan program like Malwarebytes could also be run regularly to ensure device integrity.
Physical device theft is best avoided by keeping your phone in a zipped compartment at all times and never letting it leave your sight. That isn’t always possible, so consider installing an app like these covered at Hongkiat, which can track physical locations if a phone goes missing. You’ll also want to be sure that any sensitive data or images on your phone are stored in internal memory. Internal memory is generally very hard to break into, while anything stored on a removable card can simply be taken out and put in another device for access.
With these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to forming a more comprehensive level of mobile safety. While no protection is flawless, these will at least significantly improve your chances of avoiding unwanted break-ins. It might take a little setting up, but it’s much better to be safe than sorry.
