Smartphone Security Tips

Mobile devices are with us nearly everywhere these days, leading us to use them more and more in all aspects of lie, including for business purposes. As a result, cybercriminals have even more motivation to target them. Below is a list of practices to help you circumvent a mobile device being the downfall of your organization's security.

Keep It with You

Your phone should never be left unattended out in public because any data that the device has access to is put at risk. This includes your own data, as well as company documents if the device was used to access them via a Bring Your Own Device arrangement. While BYOD policies usually include remote wiping measures, who knows what data may have been viewed before the wipe was initiated?

Be Selective About Wireless Networks

Under the right conditions, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are great, allowing a user to connect to the Internet and other devices that enhance their phone’s utility. Alas, these connections can be a wolf in sheep’s clothing; unsecured networks can easily subject your device and the data it contains to any number of threats. A solid way to minimize the chances of this happening are to circumvent making connections to unknown networks, using your data plan if you have to.

Protect Your Sensitive Credentials

As people utilize their phones for almost everything these days, most of these devices now permit a user to store passwords, PIN numbers, and payment card information on the phone itself for simplified access. However, if your phone was to fall into the wrong hands, that the person who now has the device is given that simplified access. While the best move is to simply choose not to store these details in your phone, there are secure applications that are much better to use if you do. For help in selecting one, reach out to Macro Systems.

Clear Out the Data You’ve Generated

There’s a lot of data that your phone keeps, from the words (including personal data) that its autocomplete records, to the web browsing history. All of this data is very valuable to a cybercriminal; as a precautionary measure it is good to clear out this data every so often.

To keep your data safe, you need to protect it from all of the potential ways it can be breached. Macro Systems has the tools and experience to help. Reach out to us at 703-359-9211 to learn more.