The Gift that Keeps Giving

4 Tips to Protect your Smartphone

We rely heavily on our smartphone every day.  We use it to set an alarm to wake up, surf the internet, correspond through email, and text messages, share files, video chat, listen to podcasts and music plus must more because of this, smartphones have become indispensable.  This makes smartphones very vulnerable to online threats and susceptible to being stolen or lost because they are so portable.  Security threats like malware and spyware are specifically designed for your smartphone.  Here are some things you can do to protect yourself, your data, and your smartphone.

·       First, security.  A lot of people trade security for convenience by leaving their most important information stored on their smartphone and not properly locking it down.  This makes it very easy for anyone with access to your smartphone to access it.  Make sure your smartphone has a screen lock and it is always on then use strong passwords.  DO NOT save financial credentials on your smartphone instead make sure that you must log in each time you access your bank or other app that transacts money.

·       Second, always ask yourself if you really need that random, untrusted game you found in the App Store or Google Play Store.   Most likely - NO.   This first step is important because you never know what kind of malicious code is hidden within an app. When you do want to download a third-party app, make sure it is from a trusted source. Always research apps before downloading and remember that a high number of downloads does not mean that it is a safe app.

·       Third, never – NEVER - ever select a link in an SMS, text message, from a source you don't know.  Any time you receive an SMS from an unknown source, assume it is an attempt to access your data or insert malicious code onto your device. And even if that SMS message seems to come from a reputable source, chances are still good that it is a phishing attempt.  Do NOT reply to those messages. You should delete them, block them, or ignore the number, but do NOT engage.

·       Fourth, always set your smartphone software to automatically update.  It is critical that your smartphone stays up to date because those patches contain new and exciting features plus, they also fix security issues to keep you safe. You should also make sure that your app stays updated too.