Because we can now carry computers in our pockets, and because we are almost constantly connected to the internet, we can be hacked 24/7, wherever we are.
So we must guard our mobile security, not just with our PCs and laptops, but with any other devices that can access the internet: phones, tablets, smartwatches… any smart device, up to and including TVs and refrigerators.
But we’re mostly inseparable from our phones, so, in this post, we’ll look at some ways to maintain our mobile security.
General safety tips
- Keep your device and app software updated to the most recent version.
- Install and use antivirus and antimalware apps (I’ve found Malwarebytes to be good so far. They also have apps for Android and iOS devices. I’ve also used Avast antivirus for many years. They both have free and paid versions.)
- Install and use a VPN: paid, not free, and that doesn’t keep records.
- Lock your device when you aren’t using it.
- Set your device so that it locks if it hasn’t been used for a certain period of time.
- Always know where your towel device is. (Never leave it unattended.)
- Use a secure password to lock your device. (You can read more about creating a secure password here.)
- On the lock screen, have contact number where an honest person can phone you. Android phones should have an option to leave a short message on the lock screen.
- Have secure wiping service set up, so if your phone is stolen or lost, you can remotely erase all data on it.
Safety tips for when you are mobile
Never join an unknown or untrusted network, especially if it’s free.
I try to avoid using any public wifi – café, library, hotel, restaurant, airport etc. Use your own mobile data as much as you can.
Places that offer public wifi should have their own password-protected network, but it’s often on display, so anyone can easily access it; so it can be hacked.
Further, hackers could perform an “evil twin” attack: they create a wifi hotspot with a name identical or similar to the café’s (hotel’s, airport’s etc) network. You think it’s the real network, and join.
What might give this attack away is that it will probably be an open network (you don’t need to enter a password to join) – although they might choose to use the same password as the café. You use the hacker’s internet connection, and they can see everything you do on the net.
Instead of using the café’s wifi, you could use your phone’s mobile data to create a hotspot for your computer – just make sure to have a long and complex password. (You can read about how to create a more secure password here.) Or for better security, tether your computer to your phone using a USB cable and use your phone’s data that way.
Turn your bluetooth or wifi connection off when you aren’t using it.
Mobile security is not just Be careful where you sit. There are at least two ways people can see what you’re typing in the computer:
- shoulder surfing, where someone looks at what you’re doing without you noticing (such as looking over your shoulder);
- if there’s a mirror behind or near you, that could reflect what you’re typing on the screen.
When I’m typing in a password or PIN, I cover the screen with my other hand, or even turn a little continuously, left, right, left, right, while I’m entering the password, to minimize the chances of shoulder surfing. (Though this isn’t really practical when using a laptop, though.)
Keep your guard up!
N.B. I don’t receive any compensation or remuneration from any of the products I mention on the blog. I mention them because I’ve used them and found them to function well for my needs, up to the time of writing.
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