Smartphones are the computers in your pocket and because all this information is at your fingertips, it has the ability to be in others’ reach to take with or without your knowledge.
Presume for a moment that you are sitting in a restaurant and you take out your phone to look at a message or perhaps something on Facebook. The people next to you or behind you can glance at your phone and see what you are doing or looking at and that is the most basic way of people getting information about you and from you unintentionally or even intentionally.
But there are more sinister ways of getting information from your smartphone and here are a few ways to try and prevent others from having access to your information.
Strong passwords: Use a strong password for all your applications. Passwords are the keys to unlocking your phone and the applications that run on the phone. Certain applications will ask you to log in using the password so that your data (information) remains secure. Applications needing more security, such as banking apps, may require a 2FA - two- factor authentication - before the app will open for use. 2FA will require a password and an alternative authentication such as OTP (One-Time Pin) sent to you as a WhatsApp, SMS or email. Under no circumstances do you give out your password.
Secure Wi-Fi and Data connection: The network you use to connect your phone to is vitally important to safeguarding the information on your smartphone. If at home or a friend’s, the Wi-Fi provided needs to be secure. The installation of Wi-Fi routers and extensions, where needed, needs to be installed correctly and the line tested with the service provider to make sure that it is secure. Similarly, the data provided by the mobile phone provider, (Vodacom, MTN, Cell-C, Telkom) needs to be secure. Use the correctly approved SIM cards from the service provider to avoid pirated SIM cards that steal your information. Just because something is free, does not mean that it is good. Be aware of free Wi-Fi zones as these are open networks that may not have proper security measures in place.
Applications: Make sure that the applications on your phone are downloaded from the correct authorised store, such as Apple App Store for iPhone users or Google Play Store for Android users. Avoid clicking “Download Here” on a website as these are often misleading and instead of downloading the app that you are looking for, you download malware instead, which corrupts your phone and leaks or steals your information.
Malware, also known as malicious software, is bad software and programming to harm, damage, disrupt or steal data (information) from a device or network.
Fraudulent messages: These often come as either a text message using SMS or WhatsApp but are also voice callers and messages. When looking at a text message, never take it for granted and never click on a link provided in the message. They are fraudulent scammers pretending to be a trusted source. Voice callers are people who pretend to be someone such as a banker or insurance broker. They call, having legitimate personal information already, like your home address, name, date of birth and sometimes even your bank account number. It is a trick to catch you so that they can get a password or a pin number from you and in so doing gain access to everything you have. One of the methods to help navigate these messages and voice calls is to enable caller identity on your phone, something that your mobile phone provider can activate at a small cost, or to use an app such as Truecaller, which identifies the person calling or sending a message.
Always keep your phone close at hand. Never leave it unattended and never give your phone to a stranger.