Although most people are aware they have vulnerable information in their smartphones, a majority fail to protect it using a few simple steps.
Cybersecurity expert Ragib Hasan, Ph.D., director of the SECuRE and Trustworthy computing Lab (SECRET Lab), says most people ignore the single best way to protect personal smartphones.
“Your smartphone is more vulnerable than any other electronic device,” said Hasan, an assistant professor of Computer and Information Sciences. “The simplest, most effective thing you can do is to set up a passcode, but people don’t usually want to bother with it.”
Hasan's other tips include:
- Never pay bills or do banking on phones using public Wi-Fi
- Use landlines, never cellphones, for conversations about sensitive work-related matters
- Beware of browsing mobile sites
- Log out of social media and email accounts or set smartphone controls to time out
More information and tips for smartphone protection online.
