Limit attacks while using your mobile device by following these tips:
- Don’t allow your device to auto-join unfamiliar networks.
- Always turn off WiFi when you aren’t using it or don’t need it.
- Never send sensitive information over WiFi unless you know it’s secure.
- Only use apps available in your devices official store.
- Never download from a browser and be wary of apps from unknown developers.
- Keep apps updated to ensure they have the latest security, apps that are no longer supported should be deleted.
- Don’t automatically give privileges to apps or access to your location, contacts, or photos.
- Bluesnarfing is the theft of information from a wireless device through a Bluetooth connection.
- Disable Bluetooth pairing and always turn off Bluetooth when not in use.
- Smishing is phishing via SMS (text messages). Don’t trust messages that attempt to get you to reveal personal information.
- Treat text messages the same way you treat email, think before you click.
- Verify websites before attempting to log in, they are harder to validate on the smaller screens of devices.
- Don’t save your login information to the web browser.
Contact Mike Wilson at mikewilson1@cwi.edu or 208.562.3193 with questions or for more information, and stay tuned for more tips and information on cybersecurity awareness in future issues of Bert’s Alerts.