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3 myths about mobile security

March 14, 2013 by Robert Siciliano — speaker, IDTheftSecurity.com

Mobile computing is the new frontier of personal technology. Whether you are on a phone or tablet, if you have a carrier connection, you are mobile.

Today, most of us can't live without our mobile devices. We live in an always on, always connected world. While this is convenient in many ways, it also brings about new security risks that many people don't think about.

For example, most of us know that we need to use security software on our PCs. But how many of us know to use security on our mobile devices? Mobile devices are our most personal computers, yet they open the door to vulnerabilities that don't exist on a traditional PC.

Here's some fact vs. fiction around mobile devices:

Mobile Myth 1: The best way to locate my lost phone is by calling it.

False. It's much easier to use security software that lets you locate your phone by GPS or make it "scream" so you can find it (this is much louder than your ring tone). You can also display a message on your lost phone if anyone does find it, so you can tell them how to get in touch with you.

Mobile Myth 2: It's OK to have my apps automatically log into accounts if I protect my phone with a PIN.

False. A PIN is a good start, but it's not complete protection. Hackers often are able to guess PIN codes; theyalso have programs to help them quickly figure out your four-digit combination. Use a PIN other than 1111 or 1234 and do not set your apps or mobile browser to use the "remember me" function. If your phone falls into the wrong hands, you've given that person easy access to your accounts.

Mobile Myth 3: Phishing is just for PC users.

False. In fact, one study showed that mobile users are three times more vulnerable to phishing scams than are PC users. Hackers can use mobile phishing attempts via email (if you access your email via your phone or tablet) and via text and social media apps. Also, it is much harder to tell if links are "real" in a mobile browser or email, so you should use mobile security software that warns you if you are going to a malicious site.