Mobile Security
Avoid Questionable Mobile Apps
It is important to make sure a mobile app is reliable before downloading it. Detecting malicious apps is not always easy, but here are a few steps you should take before downloading an app.
Android users have the highest risk of downloading malicious apps. Researchers at Kaspersky found over 200,000 samples of mobile malware at the Google Play store and additional sources, in 2013. The malicious malware is often used as a multiplier, sending text messages containing malicious links to the contacts saved on the phone, or stealing other personal informational directly from the infected phone.
When the app Flappy Bird was removed by its owner, hackers used the app's popularity to their advantage by creating similar looking apps. Nearly 80 percent of these spoofed apps contained malware.
We suggest sticking with just the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Most third party app stores are best to avoid. Your phone manufacturer may also have their own app store, and some of these are good, but it is best to be wary of them as well.
Protecting Mobile Devices
With the growth in smartphone usage around the world, issues surrounding mobile security have grown as well. It is more important than ever to arm your mobile devices with protective software. The largest target for attacks on mobile devices is Google's Android operating system, due to the rapid expansion and market penetration of Android smartphones.
Secure Your Lock Screen
Smartphones contain a wealth of your personal information, ranging from personal messages and photos, to bank information. In the event of your mobile device being lost or stolen, the first line of defense is locking it securely. Smartphones offer several locking options including pins, passwords and biometric methods.
- Uncheck the "make pattern visible" option in the settings. This makes it more difficult for people around you to see your pattern.
- Use six or more nodes.
- Don't use a simple or common pattern. 40% of patterns start in the top left corner, and 77% start in one of the four corners.
- Use at least a six digit PIN.
- Avoid simple number sequences (123456), simple patterns of numbers (147147), and just repeating the same number (11111).
- Don’t use a significant date like a birthday or anniversary.
- Don’t use any part of your address as your PIN number.
- Long alphanumeric passwords are stronger than either a PIN or a pattern.
- A common mistake is using passwords like 123456 or password.
- Always remember that the longer the password, the more secure it is.
See our recommendations for creating strong passwords when choosing yours.
- There is a 1 in 50,000 chance that someone else's fingerprint will unlock your phone.
- There is a 1 in a million chance that someone else's face will unlock your phone.
- Combine this with a strong pattern, PIN or password for the best security.
Importance of Mobile Security
As the number of mobile devices increases every year, the idea of mobile security becomes more important than ever. Mobile security is the protection of portable devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets from threats and vulnerabilities. People are now commonly using mobile devices for tasks that involve classified data like credit card numbers, social security numbers, and important banking information. According to the Federal Reserve, 39% of all mobile phone users are using online banking, up from 29% in 2012. This creates a larger target for hackers and a larger collection of private data to be stolen.
Within these pages are some mobile security practices that you can use to increase your mobile protection from online threats. It is not uncommon for a person to lose their mobile device or a scam application to steal credentials, so follow these tips in order to keep for private data safe.