USING YOUR SMART PHONE SECURELY

The most important thing you can do to protect your
smartphone is to understand how to use it safely.
We’ve put together a list of the top 10 most effective
steps you can take to protect your smartphone. These
apply regardless of the model of smartphone you
have or the operating system it uses.
1. Passwords
One of the greatest features of smartphones is
how mobile they are. Unfortunately, this also
makes them easy to lose. If you lose an
unprotected smartphone, anyone who finds
it can access your personal information, as well as
information about others, and place calls at your
expense until you report the loss to your carrier.
Use a strong PIN, password, or passphrase to
protect the contents of your handheld. If your
smartphone supports data encryption, we
recommend that you use it.
2. E-mail and Web
Most smartphones support e-mail and web browsing.
These services entail the same threats on a smartphone
as they do on any computer, including phishing attacks,
malicious websites, infected attachments, and scams.
If you receive an e-mail that sounds too good to be true
or looks suspicious, do not respond to it or click on any
embedded links it contains. Limit your browsing to
well-known and trusted websites. Use SSL encryption
(https://) for browsing and webmail whenever possible.
3. Wireless Networks
Your smartphone may connect automatically to wireless
networks without your knowing it. Common sense says that
if you are connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, it’s probably
being used by other people too, and someone could
eavesdrop on your connection. Keep optional network
connections (e.g., Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) turned off except
when you are using them.
4. Applications
Install only the applications you need. The more
applications you install, the more potential vulnerabilities
you add to your smartphone. Download applications from
trustworthy sources only. Attackers can create malicious
applications that appear legitimate but are designed to
infect your smartphone. Do not be in a hurry to install a
brand new application; wait a while until it has established
a good reputation.

Next week I will post more security tips about using your smart phone!