Mobile phones these days are essentially mini computers. They can do everything from email to games, word processing and even drawing, and as such, you need to keep yourself protected, as although small a lot of data passes through them every day.
There was a hole in Android’s security not long ago that left hundreds of thousands of users at risk of having their data breached, a subsequent patch was released, but the problem is, a lot of people don’t bother to update their phone because it’s a minor inconvenience to them.
However, and I’m as guilty as the next man, we do a lot of sensitive things on our phones. Online banking, buying power ups on games, purchasing books and music, all of which are highly sensitive. There are the more mundane things like signing up to your favourite Newspaper, but still that could leave you open to a barrage of spam in you inbox (and on a certain AP website a barrage of abuse from the commentators!).
The biggest problem here is people underestimate just how powerful the data they send from their mobile devices (laptop, phone and tablet) is to criminals who’ll most likely sell it on the dark web and then leave you with a Spam box full to bursting, or at worst, at stolen identity.
No OS is 100% secure, there are always going to be holes and cracks in the integrity, that’s the nature of the beast, but the least you can do is protect yourself by ensuring you have the latest updates, and having a good all round security program like Kaspersky Internet Security.
There was a fiasco years ago with Windows XP where someone had found a huge hole in the security that was subsequently patched up, the same with Apple, so why should Android be any different? People are always out to exploit security devices to steal data, and you have to be on the ball at all times. This includes saving as few passwords as possible, ensuring that a website has HTTPS// at the beginning of the address, and if you are doing something sensitive like checking your balance online, it is on the genuine website. Alternatively, download their app, it’s far more convenient!
You should also make your children aware of the dangers of not having security on their devices, there are all kinds of nasty malware out there, from generic worms downloaded with a dodgy game, to more sinister things, such as being able to take control of the camera, or even take ultimate control of the device.
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