If you look around anywhere, you are sure to see all sorts of people using a cell phone. If you think about all the information that you store on your cell phone, it may start to make you feel a little vulnerable and exposed. The majority of people keep more than just their contact list on their phones. You can have access to the bank accounts through their handy and free app. You could see emails and text messages which could possibly hold the keys to important and private information. Most people don’t let their phone out of their sight, but sometimes you can have it in your hands and still be at risk of someone getting your private information. There is software that has been sold around the world that allows someone to hack into your cell phone and get any information that they want without you even knowing.
Remote Access Spyware on Smart Phones
We learned recently that the district attorney’s office in Manhattan was thought to believe they were in line to purchase spyware for remotely controlling smart phones. This spyware claims to be able to bypass encryption, collect data and monitor targets while being invisible to the user, not affecting the phone’s performance or battery life and resistant to antivirus and firewalls. This may not be something that concerns you since it is pretty rare that you would be under the microscope of the Manhattan DA’s office but you still want to keep your information private. Smart phones are everywhere and there is almost no kind of case that prosecutors have not used evidence from smart phones.
Tips to Keep your Cell Phone Safe
Good Apps Only: There are many types of people and companies that are developing apps that can be used for anything from music to games. The problem is that you don’t always know if the developer is using code that is safe and if they have good privacy practice. Before you download a new app make sure that it is from a trusted site. You can also look through the reviews and comments to see what other users have to say about it.
Passwords: Cell phones offer an option to add a password or passcode that can be set to whatever set of letters or numbers that you want. This is a great way to keep people out of your phone in case it gets picked up by someone else. This code should be something that you can recall but not that another person can guess easily. You can also add a password to emails and voicemails.
Suspicious Links: Studies have shown that people are more likely to click on a link that looks suspicious from their cell phone more often than on the desktop computer. Some think it is the size if the screen and the fact that you may not be able to see the link well enough to know it may look not legitimate. Be wary of sites that ask you to enter personal information.
If you need more security than keeping your cell phone information locked with a password, call Advanced Private Investigator and Security.
