If you lost your cellphone today, what would a criminal have access to? Your smses? Your banking details? Your private documents saved in your e-mail? Or sensitive work documents even?
And yet, we carry this invaluable information with us every day. We absentmindedly wander around talking in public while we’re within reaching distance of any opportunistic criminal. But there are also other ways to access information on your phone by means of spyware and other suspicious software.
We use our cellphones more and more to organise and plan our lives and at the same time, make ourselves more vulnerable.
However, there are a few measures you can take to ensure you don’t become a victim.
1. PASSWORD OR PIN
This is your most important first line of defense. Without a PIN or password, anyone can get hold of your cellphone, access your e-mail, bank details, sms and personal information.
And Microsoft’s head of online security agrees.”Using a PIN or unique password is the single most important thing to do as a user of a smartphone to protect the device, the data and your reputation.” According to Beauchere the data on your phone is also more recent than the data on your desktop or laptop. This increases the risk even more.
Last year Microsoft conducted a worldwide online survey regarding the usage of PINs. 10 000 desktop and mobile device users from 20 countries took part. Only 28% of these used a PIN on a device.
2.CELLPHONE APPS
Be very careful which apps you download and where you download them from. It’s great having an app to streamline your life or one to entertain you, but weigh the pros and cons against each other.
Even if an app looks nifty, rather download a similar one from renowned app shops like iTunes, Google Play and Amazon. So some research. Read other readers’ comments, how they rate the app and if they experienced any problems with it.
3. DUBIOUS LINKS
According to research people are 3 times more likely to click on a link on their phone than one on their PCs. The fact that the screen is smaller and dubious links not as easily recognised could be the reason. Be suspicious of request for personal information you receive via links in sms, e-mail or social networks. By clicking on them, you run the risk of identity theft.
4. UNPROTECTED WI-FI
When you use an open WI-FI network in coffee shops, malls and other public places you information isn’t securely sent through the air. Any other person can intercept it during transmission. If you have to do banking on your phone or work with sensitive information, rather wait till your at work or home and have access to a secure WI-FI network.
5. SPYWARE
Without a password cyber criminals can load spyware on your phone and track your sms records, e-mails, banking transactions and location. To prevent this from happening, activate a password or PIN on your phone or download an app from a reputable store to scan for and remove spyware and viruses.
If you’d like to read more on cellphone security, wikipedia has extensive information.
[SOURCES: www.rd.com, www.computerworld.com]
As iemand nou jou slimfoon moet steel, tot watter inligting sal hy toegang kan kry? Jou smse? Jou bankdetails? Jou privaatdokumente wat op jou e-pos gestoor is of sensitiewe werksdokumente?
En tog, ons dra al hierdie belangrike inligting elke dag saam met ons, stap en gesels in die openbaar op ons telefone en is eintlik binne bereikafstand vir enige opportunistiese grypdief. Maar daar is ook ander maniere om by jou inligting uit te kom deur middel van “spyware” en ander verdagte sagteware.
Hoe meer ons slimfone gebruik om ons lewens te organiseer en te beplan, hoe meer stel ons onsself bloot en ongelukkig is dit wel so dat slimfoondiefstal al meer toeneem.
Daar is egter maatreëls wat jy kan tref om te voorkom dat jy nie `n slagoffer word nie.
1. WAGWOORD OF PIN
Hierdie is jou eerste en belangrikste voorsorgmaatreël. Sonder `n PIN of wagwoord het enigiemand wat jou selfoon in die hande kry, toegang tot jou e-pos, bankdetails, sms’e en persoonlike inligting.
En Microsoft se Hoof: Aanlynsekuriteit, Jacqueline Beauchere, stem saam. “Using a PIN or unique password is the single most important thing to do as a user of a smartphone to protect the device, the data and your reputation.”. Volgens Beauchere is die data op jou selfoon ook meer onlangs en op datum as die op jou rekenaar, wat die risiko nog meer verhoog.
2.SELFOONTOEPASSINGS
Wees versigtig watter toepassings jy aflaai en waar jy dit aflaai. Dis wonderlik om `n toepassing te kry wat jou lewe meer stroombelyn kan maak of wat pret kan verskaf, maar weeg die voordele en risikos teen mekaar op.
Al lyk `n toepassing hoe oulik, laai eerder net by bekendes soos iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, ens. af. Doen ook `n bietjie navorsing. Lees wat ander gebruikers daaroor sê, hoeveel punte gee hulle die toepassing, was daar enige probleme daarmee?
3. VERDAGTE SKAKELS
Volgens navorsing kliek mense 3 keer makliker op `n skakel op hul fone as op hul rekenaars. Die rede hiervoor is waarskynlik omdat die skerm kleiner is en jy moeilik kan identifiseer of die skakel verdag is.
Oppas vir skakels wat via sosiale netwerk, sms of e-pos vir jou gestuur word en persoonlike inligting vra. Op dié manier stel jy jou bloot vir identiteitsdiefstal.
4. ONSEKURE WI-FI
Wees versigtig hoe jy oop wi-fi punte soos die in koffiewinkels, winkelsentrums, en ander openbare plekke, gebruik. Omdat dit nie sekuur is nie, word jou inligting onveilig deur die lug versend. Enige anderpersoon kan dit onderskep gedurende versending. As jy banksake wil doen of met sensitiewe informasie wil werk, doen dit liewer by die huis of werk waar jy weet die wi-fi sekuur is.
5. SPYWARE
Sonder `n wagwoord kan kuberkriminele spyware op jou selfoon laai en jou sms’e, e-posse, banktransaksies en ligging maklik nagaan. Om te voorkom dat daar spyware op jou selfoon beland, aktiveer `n wagwoord of PIN, maar laai ook op Google Play of iTunes vir jou `n betroubare toepassing af wat spyware en virusse kan opspoor en verwyder.
Meer gedetaileerde inligting oor selfoonsekuriteit is beskikbaar op wikipedia.
[BRONNE: www.rd.com, www.computerworld.com]
Tags: mobile security, security