When we first started using mobile phones we made calls, sent texts and not much else.
Smartphones and tablets can do so much more, but to do this they need to store and use
a lot of information about us. This information can be an absolute gold mine for criminals.
So this is what you need to know about... information security for mobile devices.
How do criminals access our information? Well, there are three main ways. The first is by
hacking into the device and extracting the information remotely, the second is by fooling
us into giving up the information, and the third is by stealing the device itself.
Let's look at these in more detail.
Criminals can infect mobile devices with malware -- malicious software - just as they do with computers.
And malware can do all sorts of things. It can take over your contacts list
and send everyone emails, make your phone ring a premium rate number without you knowing,
or capture what you tap onto your keypad and then send this to the hackers.
Smartphones and tablets will often have some form of protection already installed to prevent this.
And you can also use a third party product, but whichever you choose,
make sure it's updated regulary.
And when you install an app, use a trusted site as criminals can get malware onto our
devices by hiding it in apps.
Here's one way they do it. They take a popular app, implant the malware, then make the app
available, usually for free, on a website.
If you download the app and install it, you'll install the malware too.
Criminals are always on the look out for any weaknesses they can exploit, and sometimes
these are found in operating systems. You may have heard of Android, Blackberry, Windows
Phone and Apple's iOS.
When software companies become aware of security risks, they'll issue updates or fixes.
So keeping your device up-to-date with these
will make it harder for criminals to take advantage.
Sometimes an operating system blocks users from doing certain things. A common one is
when a phone is set that it only works with one network operator, or a tablet may only
be able to install certain apps. People have found ways to get round this for example a
phone can be cracked so that it can work with any network or jailbroken so you can install
different software. When this is done, it can create a door for hackers to get in and
steal information or infect the device with malware.
So malicious software is one thing to look out for,
and another is what's known as phishing.
This usually starts with a spam email maybe with an attatchment which, if you open it
will try and install malware on your device, or there might be a link to a bogus website.
These websites are often set to download malware onto your device,
or ask you to enter personal details.
So before entering information about yourself, make sure you check the website.
Is the web address different from the real one? Sometimes this is obvious, but criminals
can create ones which are very close to the real thing.
Is it an H-T-T-P-S address - the 'S' means it's a secure session - and there will also
be a padlock symbol in the address bar.
Getting into the habit of checking the web address can prevent you from being caught.
It's pretty easy to lose smartphones and tablets, or for them to get into the wrong hands.
Here are some precautions you can take.
One is a screen lock, a PIN protection which makes it hard to get into the phone and use it.
The next is a SIM lock, which means if someone does get access to the phone, they
can't make any calls, even if the SIM is put into another phone.
And there's also an in app lock which makes you enter a PIN before you can make a purchase
from within an app. This is really useful when young children have access to the device.
Ofcom's website has a page which shows you how to set all these passwords and PINs on
different devices. Search: 'Ofcom lost stolen phone' or get the link from the PDF resource
which goes with this video.
It's a good idea to routinely back up any important files. And a lot of people are doing
this in what's known as the cloud. Instead storing files on a computer or a storage device
like a USB memory stick, they're stored on the internet. One big advantage is that you
can access your files from anywhere, and if you lose your device, your files still be
there in the cloud. There are many suppliers to chose from who are building their reputation
on providing secure storage.
There are also a number of services which will help you find your device by showing
its location or making it ring. They can also remotely reset it to its factory settings
and therefore erase any data on the device. Links to these services can be found in the
accompanying PDF, or search for one of these'
When you decide to sell, recycle or give your device away, your data will go with it unless
take steps to remove it. So erase any media cards such as SD cards and perform a full
factory reset from the settings menu to delete any data that's stored on the phone itself.
Perhaps one of the most dangerous aspects of using mobile technology is when we don't
realise the risks we're taking. Most people don't think like criminals, but criminals
are well practised at seeing these risks as opportunities.
We lock and protect our houses, cars and possessions. And the information we carry around on mobile
devices is just as valuable to criminals as these physical objects, so we need to make
sure we're taking care of it in the same way.