Protect Your Mobile Device

Today’s mobile devices are just as powerful as any personal computer, so it’s important that you take the same online safety precautions with your smartphone and tablet as you do with your computer. If you’re using wireless technology outside of your home, you should know about the security threats you may encounter when using a public access point.

Evil Twin Attack
As evil twin attack consists of impersonating an access point to steal data from devices that connect to it. Cybercriminals who use this technique can steal a wide range of confidential information, including credit card numbers, addresses, usernames, and passwords.

Wireless Sniffing
If your device is connected to an unsecure public access point, cybercriminals can use wireless sniffing tools to retrieve personal information such as your passwords, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers.

Shoulder Surfing
Remember that, in public areas, criminals don’t need a computer to steal your sensitive information. If close enough, they can simply glance over your shoulder as you type.

Malware specific to mobile services also pose many threats. Known pitfalls include smartphone worms and spy software. Also keep in mind that any threat affecting your personal computer may have a counterpart for mobile devices. This includes autonomous spyware, bots, hijacking viruses, and web bugs.