Is Your Mobile Device Really Secure?

By Author: Yancy Marry
Total Articles: 185
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Mobile devices are increasingly becoming an integral part of daily life. And why not when a single device can help us conduct work on the go, keep in constant touch with family & friends, and also get entertained through the use of specific apps. However, in the wake of the rise of mobile device usage, the security threats posed by these small tools have also risen. Loss of personal information or identity theft is the main security issue affecting mobile devices these days. As smartphones & tablets get more sophisticated with each passing day, allowing users to perform functions such as online shopping & banking, the risk of loss of critical data like credit card numbers & debit card passwords increase. Therefore, if you are an avid user of mobile devices, are compelled to use the devices at the workplace or a casual user, learning about the security risks to your mobile device & ways of avoiding them is essential. Here are basic steps to follow to ensure that your mobile device is really secure.

Never download a mobile app from unknown sources. Seeking out reputable sources in the mobile market ...
... before downloads of apps are made on your device is very important.
1. Read reviews of the mobile apps you decide to download in your mobile device in spite of the fact that you are deploying the same from a reputed source. Learning about the experience of other users is important.

2. Do not skip the permissions asked by a mobile application at the time of installing on a mobile device. Not following the permissions will pose security threats.

3. Ensure that your browsing habits are safe. Else dangers like black hat SEO poisoning may affect the proper working of your mobile device.

4. Always verify information before responding to questionable SMS’ or voicemails by calling the institution directly. Texts and voicemails are common sources of phishing scam attacks.

5. Password protection of a mobile device is very important. Personal and sensitive information can otherwise be accessed if a device is stolen or lost.

6. When using mobile devices to gain access to corporate network resources, use of SSL VPN connections is necessary to ensure security of the session.

7. Most mobile devices today are equipped with the WiFi functionality, thus making them prone to attacks by hackers. WiFi hotspots are targeted by almost all hackers to gain access to web traffic. It is recommended not to use password protected sites like Banking & Paypal in WiFi hotspots.

8. The operating system and software used in the mobile device must be updated at regular intervals to ensure security.

Factors Affecting Mobile Device Security
1. Reports point to disastrous practices that jeopardize mobile device security extensively:

2. Only 80 percent devices require passwords. This means that the remaining 20 percent devices lend access to critical information to third parties upon theft or loss.

3. Only 20 percent devices have systems to detect malware.

4. Only 29 percent mobile devices download apps from an internal app store.

5. Only 14 percent devices require hardware encryption before starting operations.

6. 24 percent devices still use the WEP technology, very much prone to security threats.

Security of a mobile device is essential to ensure personal and your enterprise’s safety. Follow the precautionary measures listed above to make mobile devices really secure while also benefitting from their functionalities.

Copper Mobile is app development company with its team of experience mobile app developers in Dallas have created over 300 applications. The iOS, BlackBerry and iPad application developers has worked for clients including Cisco, Cienna, and Verizon.