We Vikings take great pleasure in exploring the world. We broaden our horizons using our phones. We eagerly dive into the vastness of the network. However, times are cruel to the carefree who haven't secured their smartphone in time and have fallen victim to hacking or spying. So, let's check what needs to be done to protect the ship from boarding!
Securing your phone against spying – passwords!
It's great that you're reading this article, because thanks to it, you can be wise before the harm, play it safe, and join the exclusive group of 30% of Poles who care about the security of their phones and data.
The key thing 🗝️? Focus on the quality of your passwords! They are your first and, in many cases, last line of defense. When creating them, remember the best practices associated with them:
- create long passwords with a dozen or so characters,
- use combined passwords with special characters, lowercase and uppercase letters, and numbers,
- avoid passwords made up of birthdays or a family member's name,
- create a different password for each application (special apps/safes like Keeper can help you manage and remember them),
- change passwords regularly – e.g., once every three months!
Two is always better than one
A password works best in conjunction with two-factor authentication. This means that after entering the correct login and password, the application or website will ask you for an additional verification. There are several methods, and you can authenticate via:
- registering a phone number, which will then be used to send a confirmation code,
- a physical key that works wirelessly for smartphones or via a USB port for computers,
- an authentication app – e.g., Google Authenticator.
Of the three options, the first and last are usually free, while choosing the option with a physical security key means you'll have to spend around 200 PLN. It might seem like a lot, but it's by far the BEST method for securing access to your treasures 🪙. However, if that's too much for you, then any verified phone security app will do – as the Vikings say – better a herring in the net than a whale in the water.
Internet hygiene
Rules for safe internet use that you must follow to avoid falling victim to scoundrels lurking for our treasures carefully stored on our phones.
Firstly, do not use unknown and unverified public Wi-Fi networks. These are open gateways to your smartphone and sensitive resources. Wi-Fi can be tempting because it doesn't eat into the limits provided in subscription plans or pay-as-you-go internet. It's worth considering this at the stage of choosing a specific offer that will be attractive enough so that the available packages don't restrict us in any way.
Secondly, download applications and documents only from trusted sources, such as Google Play. However, remember that even these places are not hermetic, and programs made available there may not be free from malware. You minimize the risk by using reliable sources, but you don't eliminate it completely. Also, remember not to click on suspicious links: whether from email or sent via SMS. The latter, in particular, can deceptively resemble credible messages, e.g., from couriers, banks, or energy operators.
It's worth remembering to regularly update systems and applications, as it has often turned out that apps or operating systems had code vulnerabilities that allowed malware to penetrate the host phone. Such cases are monitored, and updates often contain patches to secure the phone.
Malware – how to find it?
Protecting your device from spying is one thing, but how to check if someone has access to my phone or if the device is being bugged 🤔? The best way is to install an antivirus program that will identify and remove potentially spying or bugging software. Recognized antivirus applications include Avast, Kaspersky, or Norton. Most providers have already released versions for smartphones, so you shouldn't have trouble finding a suitable solution.
What can be a symptom of a hack?
- Slow phone performance or overheating.
- Unexplained logouts from applications or smartphone resets.
- Sending messages to friends that you had no knowledge of (before you start panicking, verify if you weren't at a big party at the time).
- An application running in the background that doesn't need to – in this case, it's worth deleting applications you no longer use.
And that's all – it seems simple, so obvious that it's strange that most people don't follow the above advice. As you can see, it doesn't take much to enjoy security when using a smartphone, which, like it or not, is an increasingly important part of every Viking's life.
