Last week we shared some extensive information on computer safety within your business. Now we decided why not continue the conversation but shift to our mobile business devices. When you think about it we have many precautions we take with our computers but what are we doing with our cell phones? The content on our phones generally is a lot more personal than our computers so why are we not questioning the safety on the device. In a business our phones are an essential part of how we stay connected, and can also be used in the same manner as our computers with online banking, sharing business ideas etc. We can be on the move and have quick access to whatever we need. For these reasons it is important to look at what we are doing to reduce the risks of having our information stolen without our knowledge.
In another great podcast done by the channel “Hackable?,” by McAfee, they team up with a man by the name of Yanick Fratantonio whom is a professor at Eurecom. The goal was to see how easy it is for someone to hack into your mobile device to steal your personal information. Yanick, who lives on a completely different continent was able to infect their mobile device using malware called “Cloak & Dagger,” through a link in an email. This malware once downloaded, maps your screen so the hacker is able to see everything you are typing. From inputting your email address and password to your banking information, all the way to the text messages you are sending. That in itself is a very unsettling thought knowing that your mobile phone could be taken over so easily.
So what can we do to protect our mobile devices from being hacked and our personal/business information stolen? Here are some key points from the podcast mentioned above.
- Be careful of what you are downloading. Malware can be found in email links sent to you, even in applications that you download from the app store.
- Before considering opening an attachment from someone you know, make sure it was intended.
- Update your device on a regular basis to reduce vulnerability.
- The older the device the more careful you should be with what you are downloading.
- Use the same amount of care and consideration you do with your computer with your mobile phone.
If your interested in learning more, the link below is to the podcast from Hackable?
bitledger.ca 