Team Partners Telecommunications

How Secure is Your Mobile?

Posted on May 11, 2018  | Tags: mobile phones, mobiles, security, mobile device management

Lost or misplaced your phone recently? How did that feel? Probably not good…and see how you immediately presumed we were referring to your mobile phone there? Now you might just say “of course you were” because you’re not likely to lose your landline, but think again, because that had nothing to do with it. Your phone is your mobile, that’s the one that matters. If you still have a landline at home, you probably haven’t been near it for weeks. If your response to the thought of losing or misplacing your phone was a sudden pit-of-your-stomach churning don’t be surprised, our mobile phones represent the nearest thing we have to a relationship that hasn’t got skin…we’re lost without them.

So how come we don’t do more to protect them? It’s a point, isn’t it? We’re deeply aware that our computers can be hacked, and we’re prepared to spend money to stop malware, but we forget that our mobiles are computers too and also need protection. The snag for all of us is that whilst protecting our computers can be a relatively simple, even two step, process, protecting our smart phones is rather more involved. The following are our suggestions of ways to protect your phone and the personal information it holds:

1. It seems obvious, but download anti-malware to your mobile. Yes, you can. Have a look at https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-antivirus,review-2588-7.html and make your choice.
2. Update your system when you can! It takes time and every update seems to need more memory we can’t spare, but it’s worth it, because each update gives more security.
3. Use public Wi-Fi carefully. It’s often unprotected and you just don’t know what that person in the far corner of the café is up to. Better to use up your data allowance or use a VPN to encrypt any data you’re thinking of sending.
4. Back-up regularly, encrypted to the cloud, or at least to your PC or Mac at home. It’s not exactly protecting your phone, but it is protecting your life style!
5. Be clever with your password and use fingerprint detection or better, if it’s available. You can usually set the timing on your password lock too, which will at least cause a level of frustration to whoever is trying to get access.
6. And on the subject of trying to get in, don’t jailbreak your iPhone or root your Android phone because in doing so you’re essentially removing the protective layers that the manufacturer put in there to keep you safe.
7. Set up remote-wipe. Once you know your phone has been stolen remote-wipe allows you to do just that. And if you find your phone again, well you’ve got that back-up we talked about above.
8. Avoid third party apps. Apple is very careful about the Apps they give you access to, and well done them. If you’re Android and stick to Google Play you’re on safe ground too, but woe betide if you decide to stray off into the long grass of the third-party app. If you must, research it thoroughly, read the reviews and then make an informed decision.

If mobile telecoms security is something you want help with, or if you and your business would like both security and a smaller bill each month, why not give us a ring. We’ll be happy to help. You’ll find us on 033 33 58 33 33