As a business professional, you probably try to be as cautious as possible when it comes to hooking up your laptops to public WiFi. You are probably well aware of eavesdropping hackers and maybe tend to use your own personal wifi or VPN (virtual public network) to do work in public. But, did you know that your mobile device is also susceptible to security issues? Well, they are and sometimes they are more likely to be targeted because these are where both your business and personal information can be located. Even having the most popular device of the season can be appealing to hackers. Because of this, we’ve researched and put together a list of ways you could protect your devices.
Don’t use Public Wifi:
If there were any way that could limit any possibility of getting hacked, this would be the best way to start. When using public wifi, especially those that don’t require a password, anyone can have access to them. At the same time, just because there is a password needed for access or you are using an encrypted wifi (like in hotels or coffee shops) it doesn’t mean that hackers will not be able to access the wifi as well. You should always be cautious about what work you are doing while on a public network.
Update the Software:
Whenever a new software update comes up, you should update it. Usually a new update has an upgraded or fixed security system. With that said, you also want to make sure that you’re not tampering with any auto security system your phone comes with. They’re usually set up a certain way for a reason.
Turn off Cookies:
When your phone is using cookies, it is saving and remembering your passwords and other personal information. The more data is saved into your device, the more at risk the device becomes. With that said, make sure you’re changing your passwords frequently to those with letters, numbers, special characters, and/or acronyms. This way you have a secured account.
Use a Secure Socket Layer (SSL):
An SSL means that the data in a website is encrypted, so you are able to share personal information with the site securely. This is usually the case with online banking, online health insurance management, and so on. You know if you’re on an SSL website when it has the ‘s’ in https. Keep in mind though, that hackers would still be able to see what you’re doing if you’re connected to public networks.
Choose your Apps Wisely:
Because some app stores do not have strict developing guidelines, many hackers can create a free app just to hack your device. Make sure to review apps before you download them to prevent an attack.
Use VPN:
Just like you are able to use a VPN for your laptop, you can also use it for your mobile device. Check out why your business should use VPN in our past blog post.
Categorised in: mobile issues, Security, Uncategorized