Essential Guide to Protecting Your Smartphone Against Malware
Mobile phone malware attacks are alarmingly on the up. These days, to prevent your personal information from being hacked, it’s becoming just as crucial to buy antivirus software to secure your smartphone as with your computer.
The main route that cyber criminals use to gain access to an unsuspecting user’s phone is through downloading apps. And once they infect your device, they can spread like wildfire to other phones before anyone is the wiser.
Smartphones aren’t as vulnerable to drive-by downloads and other infection methods that are common to PCs, but this is changing as mobile platforms develop.
The bottom line is that cyber criminals focus on the most popular platforms to boost their chances of success – the more people who own and use smartphones, the more they will be targeted.
The following guide will give you some top tips to keep your mobile free of malware.
Vigilance Against Mobile Threats
If you follow Internet security news, you will see that malware for mobile devices is growing at a rate of knots.
Google’s Android has been hit hard because the nature of its open source platform allows malware creators to disassemble a popular app, repackage it with malware, and then upload it to the Android Market with only a slightly different name.
Take for example the DroidDream app fiasco – several thousand people downloaded software infected with a Trojan horse. This nasty rooted their phone and sent their location data, phone number and other personal information to a remote server. Luckily, Google noticed it quickly and removed the app from the Android Market plus uninstalled it from individual handsets. It also released an update to repair the damage DroidDream had done.
Even Apple, which was not so long ago thought to be immune from malware, has come under increasing attack. Even though Apple screens all third-party apps to make sure they don’t contain dodgy content, these checks aren’t always as thorough as they should be.
Mid last year for example, the Handy Light app passed Apple’s screening process and appeared in the official App Store. It managed to disguise itself as a simple flashlight app, but it contained a hidden tethering function that let you treat your iPhone as a modem. While Handy Light wasn’t in fact malicious, this highlighted a massive potential for cyber criminal activity and proved that no vetting system is full proof.
Top Security Tips for Smartphones
Buy Antivirus Software
The first thing to do, preferably as soon as you get your smartphone, is to give it robust protection capabilities. Luckily, leading Internet security brands are now offering sound antivirus software for mobile devices. What’s more, in addition to securing your phone against malware infections, these apps also often include features that allow you to remotely lock or wipe your phone if it happens to get stolen.
Third-Party Apps
One of the main threats to watch out for is third-party app stores – research has shown that these contain more infected apps than both the official Android and Apple markets. Thus it’s always best to download apps from only the legitimate, trusted sources offered by leading brands.
App Downloading Precautions
With smartphones, even if you buy antivirus software, your security will largely come down to making the right choices when downloading apps. It’s best to avoid apps that you’ve never heard of, or at least take the time to thoroughly research them.
When you do decide to install an app, you’ll notice a list of permissions for services that it can access on your smartphone. An alarm clock app, for example, shouldn’t need access to your contacts. It’s advisable not to download the app if it seems dodgy in this way.
Safe Browsing
As with any computer, always be careful of what you click on while browsing, or even when receiving emails. Social engineering attacks, such as being offered an amazing app or other deal to tempt you into visiting a malware infected site, are rife these days.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, smartphone malware is on the rise. If you don’t want your personal information to be put at risk, it’s essential to buy antivirus software and be extremely careful when downloading apps.
About the Author: Peter McKiel is an independent IT Consultant.
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