The rule of thumb is that if it is electronic and it accesses the web, chances are it can be hacked. Whether you realize it or not, there are people who spend an amazing amount of time trying to hack your smartphone. They want your personal information, your credit card numbers and even access to your bitcoin wallet. These data and asset thieves will stop at nothing to get their hands on the information you have locked away in your own smartphone. In these modern times, information we have stored on the device is usually worth more to us then the device itself, even if that data is just a gallery full of pictures. The beauty of this style of remote attacking is that it is next to impossible for authorities to trace from precisely where the attack has originated. Hackers know they have the upper hand, and they intend to take full advantage of this fact. To protect your smartphone and the information it contains, you must take the time to become aware of the latest smartphone dangers.
Wartexting
It has become more common for cars to be accessed through the use of a smartphone. The trouble is that this connection your smartphone has with your car, both to unlock it and turn it on by remote, is a potential vulnerable avenue for thieves to exploit. Anyone savvy enough with modern tech can use the signal between your smartphone and your car, in a wartexting attack, to sniff out the authentication codes needed to access your car by remote. Without even having to physically unlock your car the hard way, car jackers have a much easier way to acquire your wheels now days. A couple potential ways to avoid this problem are to not enable this feature on your car or to avoid purchasing a car with this access path. Alternatively, you can choose to get rid of any smartphone app that would open up a line of communication between your phone and your car. Either way, the more steps you take to eliminate this connection, the harder it makes it for thieves to use your own smartphone access to steal your ride.
Geotagging Threats
The modern high tech thief has it made in today’s smartphone crazed world. According to article posted here, your own smartphone may be telling thieves where you are. From time and location stamps, associated with pictures you post online, to the checkin feature that lets everyone know when you’re out on the town, the geotagging features on your phone give thieves a heads up on how to rob you blind. It is really pretty easy. All a thief has to do is wait for your next public text to tell them you’re not at home protecting your valuables. Or better yet, your smartphone may be aiding someone dangerous stalking you with intentions of doing harm to your person. How better to help them stalk you than to constantly text your location to social media sites like Facebook? To prevent these dangers from becoming real threats, it is best to watch what you text to social media sites and to also disable the automatic geotagging features on your smartphone.
The Willing Data Compromise
According to this source, the willing activities of you, the smartphone user, end up being some of the easiest ways for hackers and malware to compromise your stored personal data. Whether you just paid with a mobile credit payment option or willingly entered data into the latest app downloaded to your phone, any one of these steps could rapidly compromise your personal data. To prevent such attacks on your personal information, it is smart to download apps that help to protect your sensitive data. Apps, such as NowSecure Mobile, clueful and Skycure are designed to aid smartphone users in navigating the threats aimed at their personal information on numerous levels. From checking the security of WiFi networks you go on to checking to make sure apps you download are safe to use, these free apps make it possible to better assess if your own willful activities on your smartphone are leaving you vulnerable for attack.
Conclusion
The threat landscape of modern mobile devices is changing every day. Every time solutions are found to prevent last year’s mode of attacks, a new wave of attacks emerges that are stronger and more clever than the former generation attacks. To keep yourself safe from mobile threats, it only stands to reason that you must educate yourself in the latest threats aimed at getting a digital grip on your smartphone. The information you may save in doing so could be your own.