Summary
As we continue our series on the biggest cybersecurity mistakes you might make, we come to mistake two: not protecting your mobile device. Here are the steps you need to take to make sure your mobile devices are protected.
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Transcript
Our phones have turned into miniature computers that we carry everywhere. But these devices contain massive amounts of data about us and our lifestyles. Today, we continue our series on the biggest cybersecurity mistakes people make with mistake number two: not locking down your mobile devices.
For Personal Tech Media, this is Two Minute Tech. I’m Jim Herman.
Phones, tablets, and even laptops are designed to be mobile. That mobility makes them convenient, but it can also be problematic if they become too mobile and end up in someone else’s hands.
While it would be great to think that someone won’t try to access your information, a criminal, a curious person, or someone trying to get your device back to you could encounter private files or photos. Here are some steps you can take to protect your mobile devices in case they’re lost or stolen.
First, protect them with a password, passcode, fingerprint, or face scan. If you don’t use any kind of lock on your device, anyone who finds it has full access to the files and data on it.
Second, configure your device to wipe everything on it after a number of failed unlock attempts.
Third, pay attention to permissions. Don’t grant permission to everything an app requests. Many malicious apps exploit your inattentiveness to permissions to unnecessarily gain access to the microphone, camera, or location data.
And fourth, be careful where you connect. Public Wi-Fi networks aren’t always the safest place to connect your phone. Only connect through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other methods if you have no other option.