5 Effective Strategies to Protect Your Mobile Devices

If you’re like many people who own a smartphone and tablet, the thought of a data breach may not be something you consider when choosing your next device, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening or that you won’t face a personal or professional nightmare if it does. A study by Ponemon Institute found that 55% of all companies experienced a security breach.

A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that half of all Americans now own a smartphone, and that number is only increasing. As smartphones become more powerful, useful, and popular, they also become more vulnerable to hackers.

Today, I’ll show you five effective strategies to protect your mobile devices from hackers so you don’t have to worry about stolen or lost data.

Hackers steal personal information, damage businesses, and even put lives at risk. Even if you aren’t a high-profile individual, hackers may try to gain access to your mobile device, whether it be a phone, tablet, laptop, or other electronic device.

It would help never to share your password with anyone and always be suspicious of emails asking you for your login credentials. But even if you take the necessary precautions, knowing what you can do to keep your mobile device secure and protected is important.

Regular Software Updates

Many modern devices are vulnerable to hacking because they still use outdated software. The problem is that hackers can use this vulnerability to bypass security and gain access to your sensitive data. To avoid falling victim to hackers, you should always update your device with the latest software updates. While this isn’t the only way to protect your device, it is one of the most effective. If you are unsure whether or not you should update your device, see wha the manufacturer’s recommended time frame is to do so.

Use of Strong Passwords

As smartphones become more powerful, useful, and popular, they also become more vulnerable to hackers. Hackers steal personal information, damage businesses, and even put lives at risk. Even if you aren’t a high-profile individual, hackers may try to gain access to your mobile device, whether it be a phone, tablet, laptop, or other electronic device.

Because smartphones and tablets are so popular, hackers can easily guess usernames and passwords, which makes them easier to crack. Passwords should be long enough to include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols but short enough to remember. Some companies offer special apps to help users create strong passwords.

Some of the best practices when it comes to passwords include the following:

-Don’t reuse passwords across multiple services

-Use different passwords for each site, and never use passwords that can be found on the Internet (such as “123456” or “password”)

-Avoid using dictionary words as passwords

-Create unique passwords for each service

-Never write down your passwords

-Never store your passwords in a place that others can access

If you’re concerned about your phone’s security, you can use a password manager such as LastPass.

Installation of Anti-Virus Software

It’s not uncommon for hackers to use malware to attack mobile devices. Malware is a type of computer virus that attacks a computer or mobile, usually without the user’s knowledge.

Anti-virus software can protect you from malicious software, but you should never rely solely on anti-virus software. If you install anti-virus software on your device, remember that it is always a good idea to back up your data to a cloud service or external hard drive.

The best way to protect your device is to be proactive. Use an anti-malware app, and make sure you always update your device. If you suspect your device is infected, you can restore it to factory settings.

Secure Wi-Fi Connections

Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly popular, with over 20 million public hotspots worldwide. However, when you connect to a public hotspot, you must know it isn’t completely secure. Most public hotspots are connected to a local network, where most security issues begin. If someone can get past your router, they may be able to see your entire network and anything connected to it, including your sensitive files, personal documents, and pictures.

Your device may even be a proxy server to perform distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS), a major problem for businesses and other institutions using Internet-based services. If you connect to a public hotspot, you must ensure your device is safe and secure. It would always help to use a VPN (a virtual private network) when using public Wi-Fi connections.

Regular Data Backups

We’ve all seen the headlines about hackers who steal information from companies like Target and Apple. The press and the FBI have hounded them, and they now face years in jail.

The same thing could happen to you.

Every time you change your smartphone, you give up some security. If you change your email password, you are putting your contacts at risk. If you install an app, you are opening up a new window of opportunity for hackers.

Frequently Asked Questions Mobile Devices

Q: What do I need to know before going on vacation?

A: If you’re going to be staying somewhere that is not familiar to you, make sure to bring a couple of extra pairs of underwear, a toothbrush and toothpaste, toiletries, a few days’ worth of clothes, and a copy of your passport and insurance papers.

Q: What’s the most important thing I can do to stay safe while traveling?

A: Traveling abroad is not the safest place to be. Be careful not to let your guard down, and always look out for yourself and those around you. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are not comfortable, call the police or embassy immediately

Top Myths About Mobile Devices

1. A device’s operating system or manufacturer is at fault.
2. It would help if you did not have to perform a factory reset.
3. You must call the manufacturer to get help.
4. You can restore your device using a software download, not a full factory reset.
5. You cannot restore your device using a generic backup.

Conclusion

As you may know by now, we spend a lot of time on our phones. We use them to check our emails and send pictures to friends and family. These devices can be a big target for cybercriminals. Hackers can steal sensitive information or install malware to access our accounts or device. There are some ways to protect ourselves from online threats. I will discuss the best practices I’ve found effective for Android and iOS users.