People usually underestimate the security flaws of their mobile
phones, although current mobile phones have the same computing power of a
normal PC, people fail to treat them with equal importance.
Here are seven Tips to Secure Data stored on your Mobile Device
I. Use the PassCode
Nowadays, nearly all mobile devices are manufactured with the
ability to set access control passcodes that prevent unauthorized access to the
confidential data stored on these devices.
Choose a strong passcode that is easy for you to remember but hard
for others to guess, and for God sake don’t use your birthday or your
girlfriend birthday (even though u should always remember that date). Use a mixed combination of letters and numbers.
Security tip: Don’t use consecutive numbers
and letters because they are very easy to be guessed and surprisingly commonly
used.
Grid pattern locks work
fine, and fun to use, but beware that they leave finger smudge marks on the mobile
touch screen especially when using a protective layer shield. This smudge makes
it easier to guess your pattern.
Recent mobile devices offer
device encryption for their files and data, whether for their own internal
memory or their multimedia memory card. Using device encryption is the best
method to protect your data from being stolen through plugging your phone to a
PC to transfer data.
II. Careful Use of Wireless Networks
Mobile phones can be set up
to connect to available public WIFI networks automatically; this improper setup
allows the mobile phones to shake hands with an insecure environment that might
compromise your data.
So when you are not
connected to a trusted wireless network, turn off the WIFI ability on your
phone.
Moreover, Bluetooth
communication could be exploited to spread mobile malware and eventually leak
confidential data from your mobile. It is imperative to turn of the Bluetooth
service when not using it.
Security Tip: Recent phones have the
option to automatically turn off Bluetooth when it is gets idle for 5 minutes,
use it.
III. Applications Access and permissions
Apps installed on mobile phones have the ability to
access sensitive data stored on the phone itself. In general when you initially
setup an application on your mobile device it requests special access, like
accessing your contacts and storing them in the cloud, tracking your location, and
sending you push notifications.
Usually people have the tendency to accept these
modifications without thoroughly reading their content and assessing their
risks. You should setup the permission level of each application depending on
the level of sensitivity of your stored data.
Note that:
- You can disable push notifications by changing the settings
in your device options.
- You can deactivate location
based services by turning them off from your device menu. This option will stop
your phone from broadcasting your GPS location regardless of the app using it.
IV. Backup your Data
Backing up your data is the most effective way to
prevent data loss, Data loss could be the result of lost or stolen phone,
damaged memory card, bad application setup leaking data or even human error by
messing with phone options.
Copy your data from your mobile phone to your PC or
Laptop, schedule routinely backup notification in order to keep your backup
copy updated.
Security tip: remember to encrypt your backup copy. Recent
mobile management application enables you to utilize encryption as part of the
synchronization process.
V. Firmware updates
Similar to your PC operating system, Your Smartphone
should be updated in order to overcome any newly known exploits that could
compromise security.
Firmware upgrades is not only limited to security
issues but also to performance enhancement of you mobile experience.
Security Tip: Commit to using firmware that is
certified by the vendor of your mobile Device. Tampered (Custom made) firmware
might contain malicious codes that compromise your information security
VI. Remote Device Access
Many of the recent mobile phones and smart devices give u the
ability to wipe its data remotely. You should exercise that option if your
phone gets lost or stolen.
Moreover, you can setup your phone to automatically wipe itself
clean of any personal data should the PIN guarding your phone is entered
incorrectly for a certain number of attempts.
Security Tip: Don’t forget to remove your
media card before sending your phone to any repair station.
VII. Sensitive Financial Data
Storing Financial Data on the phone is a big mistake; mobile
phones are easily stolen or lost. I know people that used to store credit card
numbers on mobile phones; others store ATM pin codes. People should really
understand that it is much easier to lose data from smart mobile devices than
losing their own wallets. For a start you will directly notice a missing
wallet, but you will only find out a theft of sensitive info such as credit
card number only when it is used or billed.
Remember: You should be always aware of shoulder surfers that scan
around in order to catch you enter your PIN or passcode.
Finally, good judgment and cautious behavior are key factors to
prevent data leak or loss caused by mobile devices.
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