Cell phone theft is always a concern and continues to be a major problem. And, although blackberry smartphone hacking has been less predominant in the U.S. than in other countries, indications are that all that could change as hackers and identity thieves are becoming more sophisticated. A mobile phone variation of the NotCompatible virus is rumored to be circulating and targeting U.S. cellphones.
If you’ve recently purchased one of Blackberry’s smartphones, you might consider taking some additional measures like phone verification to protect your phone and all of the vital information that is stored on it. A phone’s basic security features may not be sufficient to keep you fully protected.
Here are some of the steps you can take to reduce your risk and exposure on your Blackberry smartphone:
• Download Software or Security Applications
There are many free and paid apps available to help enhance your phone’s security. An app that integrates two factor verification allows you to verify your identity using multiple authentication steps, providing an added level of security to the phone and any of your secure websites. There are also apps that will “soft-delete” any information you may have recently keyed in if the phone is left idle for a period of time.
• Pass-code Protection
As troublesome as it seems sometimes, a pass-code can protect your phone from unauthorized access should it be lost or stolen. More advanced thieves or hackers are still going to be able to extract information stored on the phone but this additional step at least reduces your exposure.
• Identify Phone Number
Never open attachments, downloads or anything from a phone number you don’t recognize. Even if you do recognize the sender, be wary of attachments or downloads. One of your friend’s or relative’s email accounts or phones could have been hacked and is now spreading malware.
Considering all of the information that we store on our blackberry smartphones and all of the secure websites we visit using our devices, security should be a focus for all users. Just because smartphone hacking hasn’t taken off in the U.S., we are still vulnerable to theft and loss.
