These days your smartphone is just as powerful as your laptop or pc a few years back. You store more personal and work information on your device and it’s always connected to the internet.
It’s exactly this convenience that puts you as a smartphone user at risk. Cooltech, iAfrica’s tech section, has a few ideas to minimise risk and ensure your personal information stays, well, personal and safe from malware and cybercriminals and other security risks.
Set up a password
Your first line of defense is to simply set up a password on your phone. Most cellphone providers allow you to type in a pin number each time you switch on your phone or after a period on inactivity.
Install security software
Since smart phones are no longer just for storing phone numbers and sms’s, but also bankdetails, they’re also an easy and perfect target for cybercriminals.
Consider installing anti virus software to protect your device against malware. F-Secure, Norton and other large security software vendors each have their own version for the main smartphone platforms.
Activate the remote wipe function
The biggest risk is the the theft or loss of your device. Rather than worry about a stranger snooping through your information, activate the remore wipe function.
This function will allow you, by means of an internet connection, to delete your photos, business contacts and e-mails when you suspect you might not be able to recover your phone.
Some manufacturers like BlackBerry and Apple offer the remote wipe function and location applications for their latest devices, while third party applications are available for other platforms.
Download safe and approved applications
The temptation to download a free, unofficial application on your iPhone or Android instead of purchasing one through iStore, is big, but do you really want to take the risk and expose your phone to malware. Rather stick legitimate sources where proper quality control is done and applications don’t come with added nasty surprises.
Backup your data
As we’ve already established, a substantial amount of your life is on your smart phone – e-mail, phone contacts, documents, photos and much more. Just as you back up your computer (hopefully!), do the same with your cell phone so you won’t lose everything if you lose your phone. Many smartphones allow you to make a thorough backup from your device to your pc or at least sync the most important data and settings to an online service. Many smartphones allow you to make a comprehensive backup of your device to a computer, or to sync your most critical data and settings to an online service.
Jou slimfoon is deesdae net so kragtig soos jou skoot- of tafelrekenaar van`n paar jaar gelede. Jy stoor ook meer kosbare persoonlike en werksinligting daarop en is feitlik altyd verbind aan die internet. Dit is egter ook juis hierdie gerieflikheid wat vereis dat jy net soveel sekuriteit toe pas op jou selfoon as wat jy op jou rekenaar sou gebruik.
Cooltech, iAfrica se tegnologiese afdeling, het `n paar idees om seker te maak dat die inligting op jou foon veilig bewaar word van “malware”, kuberkriminele, toestelfoute en ander sekuriteitsrisikos.
Stel `n wagwoord op
Die eenvoudigste en eerste stap is om doodeenvoudig `n wagwoord op jou foon te sit. Meeste slimfoonvervaardigers laat jou toe om `n pinnommer of wagwoord in te sleutel elke keer as jy jou toestel aansit of weer gebruik na `n tydperk van onbruik.
Installeer sekuriteitsagteware
Aangesien slimfone nie meer net telefoonnommers en sms’e stoor nie, maar ook, onder andere, bankinligting, is hulle ook `n maklike en perfekte teiken vir kuberskelms.
Oorweeg dit om antivirus-sagteware te installeer om jou toestel te beskerm teen “malware”. F-Secure, Norton, en ander groot sekuriteitsagteware-verskaffers bied elk hul eie weergawe vir die hoof slimfoon platforms.
Aktiveer die afstanduitvee-funksie
Die grootste risiko vir jou as slimfoongebruiker is as jou toestel gesteel of verlore raak. Eerder as jou bekommer oor iemand wat deur jou belangrike inligting snuffel, aktiveer die uitveefunksie wat van `n afstand gedoen kan word.
Hierdie funksie sal jou toelaat om jou fotos, besigheidskontakte en e-posse uit te vee met die hulp van enige internetverbinding as jou foon weg is en jy vermoed jy gaan dit nie weer terugkry nie. As jy nog nie jou foon wil opgee nie, kan sekere posisiebepalingsfunksies jou help om `n idee te kry van waar jou telefoon hom bevind.
Sommige vervaardigers soos BlackBerry en Apple bied die afstanduitvee-funksie en opspoortoepassing vir hul nuutste toestelle, terwyl derdeparty toepassings beskikbaar is vir ander platforms.
Laai veilige, goedgekeurde toepassings af
Die versoeking om gratis, nie-amptelike toepassings op jou iPhone of Android te probeer laai i.p.v. om dit te koop deur die iStore, is nou wel baie groot, maar jy neem `n groot risiko en stel jou foon bloot aan “malware”. Hou eerder by gemagtigde bronne wat streng kwaliteitskontrole toepas op die toepassings wat hulle verskaf en nie met nare ekstras kom nie.
Rugsteun jou data
`n Groot deel van jou lewe is op jou slimfoon – e-pos, telefoonkontakte, dokumente, fotos en baie meer. Net soos jy jou rekenaar (hopelik!) rugsteun, doen dieselfde met jou selfoon sodat alles nie verlore is as jou foon wegraak, gesteel word of beskadig word nie. Baie slimfone laat jou toe om `n deeglike rugsteun te maak na jou rekenaar of ten minste net die belangrikste data en opstellings aanlyn te stoor.
Every year you have to go to your doctor to get an anti-flu injection. You have to get one every year because the influenza virus mutates and adapts every year into a new strain. Computer viruses are exactly the same! Here are a few handy tips and hints to ensure the whole process is as painless as possible. But first things first –