The more we rely on our phones
to transact our personal financial
business, the more we’re all
exposed to mobile security
pitfalls: little-known threats to
everything from your online
banking password to your credit
card details.
from Lookout Mobile Security
Most of the cell phone privacy
debate has focused on our
phones’ ability to track our
whereabouts. But there is
another danger that the average
cell phone user would find much
more worrisome, if only they
were aware of it. The more we
rely on our phones to transact
our personal financial business,
the more we’re all exposed to
mobile security pitfalls: little-
known threats to everything
from your online banking
password to your credit card
details.
1. Plug up leaky apps
It’s tough to tell the difference
between a good and bad app.
Since so many people are
creating mobile apps, sometimes
we see unsophisticated apps
that could seriously compromise
your online privacy through bad
privacy practices or careless
code. Only download applications
from sites you trust (iTunes, the
Android Market, Amazon, Getjar,
etc.), and only after checking
each apps’ rating and reading
the user reviews to make sure it
is widely used and respected.
2. Set a password on your phone
Without a password, anyone
within an arm’s length can swipe
your phone and start reading
your email, text messages or
listen to your voicemail. Setting a
password is the first line of
defense, and only takes about 30
seconds.
3. Watch for suspicious links
People are three times more
likely to click on a suspicious link
from their phone than their PC,
according to a recent study. Due
to the small size of the screen, it
is harder to decipher whether a
site looks legitimate or not. Be
wary of suspicious-looking links
sent to you in email, SMS or on
social networking sites; entering
your personal information on
these sites puts you at risk for
fraud or identity theft.
4. Be careful what you do at
unsecured WiFi hotspots
Use caution when checking your
email on public WiFi (for example,
at a local coffee shop). These
wireless hotspots transmit your
data over-the-air, so when you
enter your password or credit
card details while using one of
these wireless networks, you run
the risk of someone else seeing
your sensitive information.
5. Keep spyware from watching
you
Spyware might sound like
something out of a detective
story, but it’s much more like
something out of a horror story
if you end up with it on your
phone. Without a password
people can (and do) download
spyware onto your phone and
track your phone usage, text
messages, location and banking
activity, among other things,
without your knowledge. In the
Android Market or iTunes store,
search for ‘mobile security,’ and
download a free app that will
stop you from inadvertently
downloading viruses onto your
device, before you do it.


www.rd.com/advice/saving-money/5-simple-steps-to-keep-your-cell-phone-secure/