Mobile Misuse: Set up Your Mobile Devices Securely

Smartphones and other mobile devices are very popular gift choices for the holidays. Imagine the throngs of parents and relatives who are just ready to line up to buy the latest mobile devices as gifts. Thinking of smartphones as the perfect gift was easy, right? Cybercriminals thought so as well.

Owning and using smartphones and mobile devices is fast becoming the norm worldwide. By 2019, the total number of global smartphone subscribers is predicted to balloon to 3.5 billion. By 2017, more than half of the world’s population would already be smartphone subscribers.  With that many prospects for data theft and at such an opportune season, it's only logical to expect cybercriminals to attack.

Looking back, the holiday season has already been proven to be a dangerous season since cybercriminals see it as a prime opportunity to steal. Just recently, a new point-of-sale (PoS) malware was detected making the rounds over the holiday shopping weekend, primed to take advantage of the shopping season that stretches to the end of the year.

[READ: Apple Pay, Google Wallet, NFC, and RFID: Is Your Mobile Payment Option Holiday-Safe?] 

It doesn’t help that many people are fond of misusing their smartphones. By misuse, we mean that they tinker with the default settings, download questionable apps, and root or jailbreak them without regard for what this means for security.

“It’s very important that we take good care of these devices. Don’t increase the risk. Don’t make it too easy for the potential attackers,” reminds Raimund Genes, Chief Technology Officer for Trend Micro.

[READ:The New Security Features of iOS 8 and Android Lollipop]

He added that, although major mobile players like Apple and Google try their best to provide a secure mobile environment for users, threats can still get through, mostly caused by other issues like unsafe mobile practices.

In this video, Raimund further explains how rooting or jailbreaking mobile devices make them less secure; detailing the phone settings that many users typically tinker with. Watch the video to know more.