How to keep mobile devices safe

Enable remote lock and data wipe

 

If a mobile device is lost or stolen, then it is good security practice to lock it remotely (in case it was stolen or lost while unlocked). If the device is not recovered within a very short period of time then a remote erase command should be sent to it to minimise the chances that its contents will ever be accessed.

 

Apple’s Find My app and Google’s Find My Device feature can be used to issue both remote lock and remote erase commands.

 

 

Don’t trust every app

 

One way that cyber criminals get access to mobile devices is by adding malware to otherwise legitimate apps, or writing their own apps (such as games) and including malware. They then wait for victims to install this software.

 

The built-in malware may be able to steal passwords or extract data from the device, and that means it’s important for Android device users only to download apps from trusted sources such as Google’s Play store.

 

For iOS users as well as Android users it is sensible only to download apps from well-known authors, because downloading apps from Apple’s App Store or Google Play Store does not alone guarantee that they are free of malware.

 

 

Use a VPN when in a public place

 

The nature of mobile devices is that they can be used away from the office or home network, but relying on public Wi-Fi access points can be a significant security risk. This can be mitigated by using a VPN when connecting over public Wi-Fi.

 

Both iOS and Android have VPN software built in, but this needs to be configured before it can be used. Both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store also offer VPN apps that are tied to specific VPN services.

 

 

Turn Bluetooth off when not in use

 

Cyber criminals can attempt to hack a mobile device when they are in close proximity by taking advantage of security flaws in the device’s Bluetooth capabilities (a process known as Bluejacking).

 

The easiest way to counter this is to turn Bluetooth off, although this may not be convenient if it is being used to connect to a Bluetooth headset, keyboard, or smartwatch.

 

 

Install endpoint security software

 

If the advice above about not jailbreaking or rooting mobile devices is followed, and apps are only downloaded from Google’s or Apple’s app repositories, then it is extremely unlikely that malware will get on to mobile devices, according to the National Computer Security Centre (NCSC).

 

But some endpoint security products for mobile devices also offer additional security features such as VPNs, the ability to lock down sensitive documents or apps with PINs, or even features which take a photograph of the user when they try and fail to unlock a device. Although not essential, some charities may decide that this is a worthwhile additional security measure.