Threats Should Mobile Users Be Aware Of in 2021
Most people consider themselves relatively tech-savvy when it comes to their mobile phones. However, when I ask if they have an anti-virus on their phone, the answer is usually no.
Android and iPhone are just as vulnerable to viruses, malware, and adware as your PC or Mac. Viruses tend to strike when we least expect them when we let our guard down. One weak link in your security chain is all it takes to infiltrate your mobile device and wreak havoc on the integrity of your personal information. As such, according to experts from Bulletproof, cyber security measures are crucial for all devices and software
Here are security threats that you need to be aware of:
Wi-Fi networks
Unless you are personally responsible for securing the Wi-Fi network, you have to be on your guard at all times. Even secured Wi-Fi networks that belong to other people, companies, or networks should be used with caution.
Avoid using free Wi-Fi networks that are unsecured, since bad actors routinely seek out hapless victims through these networks and always always always use a VPN
Watch Those Apps
Apps – the mainstay of smartphones, and the reason why we can do so much with our mobiles are a high-risk proposition. Unless you can verify, validate, and vouch for the safety, security, and reliability of app providers, caution is advised.
While you are downloading and installing apps, you will come across terms and conditions of use that you typically have to agree to ahead of time. Take the time to read the privacy policies of these app providers. What do they do with your personal information? Do they sell it to 3rd parties for marketing? Do they share your data with the authorities?
Of course, only download and install apps from the official Apple and Google Play stores and not some random link on websites or emails.
How Is Your Data Being Stored?
Data leakage occurs when your personal information is leaked from servers, usually from companies that you are sharing your details with.
Cybercriminals use sophisticated malware code specific to commonly used mobile operating systems as a vector to infiltrate a company’s network. They then move data easily across corporate networks, with no one being the wiser.
The tech team at work should be restricting and securing mobile connectivity onto the WiFi and set up specific usage rights and permissions. Ideally, a Cyber security company should be employed to test the networks.
Impersonation and Trickery
One of the most common security issue today is phishing. The cybercriminals send billions of emails hoping to catch a small percentage of the people who are not focused and click on their links. Typically this happens when we are distracted, we see an urgent email on our phones, click the link, log into the website that looks like our banks. Our info is now leaked.
By installing a high-quality anti-phishing app that is able to verify that the websites are legit, it would prevent this kind of issue from happening. So even in the moment of distraction, the moment we land up on a dodgy site, the app will alert us.
Password-Related Weaknesses
Weak passwords are one of the biggest drivers of mobile phone vulnerabilities. Of particular concern is the reuse of the same passwords across multiple accounts. This serves as an open invitation to criminals to ransack your personal data. It is far safer to protect access to sensitive accounts by using multi-factor authentication protocols such as 2 FA. Other options available to mobile users are password managers. Experts state that if you can remember your password, you should probably change it.
Malware-Laced Advertisements
Criminals realize that there is lots of money involved in the mobile advertising industry. Ad fraud is rife, with malware generating fraudulent clicks on ads. Publishers get paid by the number of clicks they generate therefore criminals create malware that hides inside apps which forces your phone to “tap” on thousands of ads. The more your phone opens these ads, the more money they generate.
