Hacking: Not Restricted To Computers
You can have the best devices and security measures and still fall victim to a hacker… even on your cell phone. After all, it has an operating system just like a computer and ways to wiggle in through exploits.
Got an Apple device? Don’t think that you’re exempt from a phone hacker. Just because Apple’s devices work on closed source software doesn’t mean they can’t be hacked. It’s rare, but it still happens.
Android, on the other hand, is built on open source software and there are a lot of people with the ability to code that have their hands on the source files.
With computers, we’re used to flashy pop-ups and weird behavior to let us know that we’ve picked up something we shouldn’t have, like malware. But what we actually have to be aware of with phones is the data we’re holding onto or transmitting.
Catching that phish
The most common and successful hacking tool is “phishing.” This is when someone pretends to be a trusted person or a company to be able to gain access to your device content.
This is mostly seen in emails. It can be hard to detect, but there are telltale signs to find out if you’re being baited or not. Look for typos, the use of a lot of punctuation and exclamation marks, and grammar mistakes. You can also look for variations in the email address and compare it to ones from the known company or individual.
Freeloading WiFi might cost you
We are all guilty of connecting to a public WiFi hotspot. However, this is another way a hacker can gain access to your device. They will create a WiFi hotspot or spoof a known hotspot. While you’re connected and banking or paying bills, they capture the packets of data that your phone sends. I would recommend you refrain from doing any transactions with sensitive data transfers while on a public WiFi hotspot.
Be aware
The bottom line is be aware of your surroundings and mindful of what tasks you take care of while connected to a WiFi hotspot that you do not know. Pay close attention to the emails you receive that are asking for personal or secure data. Following these suggestions will lessen your chance of falling victim to being hacked while on your phone.
(Image Source: iCLIPART)
