A modern Smartphone is more than just a phone that you use to surf the Internet, write e-mails or store notes, documents and important information. Since many users use their phones privately and professionally, the devices stores more and more sensitive data. For this reason, it is particularly important to protect it against security risks.
Password protection and remote access
The biggest security risk is the loss of the smartphone – either through theft or carelessness. Therefore, the smartphone owners must be careful to prevent its loss.
Despite of precautions and once lost, a good preparation can prevent unauthorized access to data. The easiest way is to activate the password protection: To unlock the screen, a password has to be entered. All popular smartphones have this feature. Appropriate passwords consist of combinations of uppercase and lowercase letters combined with figures. It not recommended are passwords that contain their names or consisting of simple combinations of numbers like “1234″.
Even better, when users can protect their data remotely. There are numerous applications for this in the relevant markets App for Android, BlackBerry or Windows Mobile 7 devices. Those applications can delete all data on the smartphone.
On Android for example users can locate the lost device with GPS with the “Lookout Mobile Security” app. Furthermore, it provides a free basic version of the program in a backup feature and a virus scanner. To use the remote access a licence must be purchased in the premium version.
From IOS version 4.2, the app “Find My Phone”Access to the lost phone.
Anti-virus at startup of
With the increasing number of smartphone users, the number of malware, viruses and other unwanted malicious programs in recent years has dramatically increased. As for PC, owners of mobile phones should use security software installed on their mobile devices.
A lot of applications can scan the smartphone for spyware and checks each application that you download.
For iPhones, however there is no really anti-virus app. Apple’s App Store guidelines is so strict that it is malware safe. Somehow, users with the app “Smart Surfing” can still have the option to install a program that blocks access to infected sites.
Access rights of Apps
For each application installed on Android, particular permissions are granted – for example, the permission on GPS position, contacts or personal information access.
So caution when you download even a simple wallpaper for your cell phone screen, apps can access contact data and GPS positions. If in doubt choose the better from different application.
In most cases, these access rights are tied to operations that an application require. But not evrything is discovered in the Android Market apps, and spying on the user or pass on information without being asked is something that can be done easily.