Few decades ago, mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) were luxury items with limited functions which everyone could not afford it. Now, almost every adult and teenager have them and use them to keep calenders and phone directory, play games, media files, send emails, browse internet, exchange messages and sometimes phone calls too. These email and web browsing features are feasible because many cell phones and PDAs are equipped with wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth which permit them to connect with other similar devices and the internet. But unfortunately, these wireless technologies make these devices vulnerable to the same kind of threats which computers, laptops face, such as malware and data theft. Nowadays, folks use smartphones to browse the web for downloading apps, shopping online, social networking and so because of which mobile devices suffer increasingly from malware, although device manufactures continue to release patches to fix privacy and security gaps. Yo must be meticulous to protect your privacy when surfing the internet from a mobile or tablet. Many websites ask you to enter personal information to recognize oneself, but there are ways for people to record this data secretly and use them without your consent and maybe against you. It is essential for you to protect your personal details like mobile number, credit card number and other sensitive info from getting stealth and keep them private.
Below are few essential ways which can help you to achieve complete privacy -Downloading Unknown Apps
While surfing the internet from mobile you may visit a webpage that triggers the automatic download of virus-infected apps. In many cases, such infected webpages encourage you to open the downloaded app to actually infect your smartphone with spyware, malware, which may send your personal data like phone contacts, messages and so.
Cyber crooks may use malvertizing to publicize fun apps like gaming, social or antivirus apps which need internet to run them an direct you to app store which may be fake or virus-infected to install them. Once you reach to their desired website, what you download is actually malware. It's needless to say that mysterious app stores are not the best place to get apps from.
Visiting Unkown Websites? Go for https
It's always advisable to download, shop or do anything online from known websites which are secure. But even if you come across an unknown website, make sure it is genuine & providing you downloads from 'https://' servers which are certified, legal and secure. If any website asks your personal information like credit card number, mobile number or any sensitive information, check the beginning of it's web address in address bar, it it is secure it should be 'https://'. During online transactions make sure there is lock icon somewhere at the bottom or top corner because cyber crooks can spoof the 'https://'.
Lock icon indicates the information shared between parties is encrypted, clicking on it a dialog box appears which has security details like digital identity certificate, encrypted coding, sharing of information, storing of cookies on your device and others.
Avoid Clicking Unknown Links
Usually spam messages contains suspicious links in them. Don't click on such unknown links if you don't trust the source, clicking on them may redirect you to some other malicious website or trigger some download which can be malware or can steal personal details from mobile phone without warning you. Nowadays,
shortened links or URLs are used to make bigger URLs compact. Visit only those URLs which you trust.
Unsafe links can be any of these links -- Malicious links - clicking on it, redirects you to websites developed be cyber crooks which are infected with viruses. Any file downloaded from those website will harm your gizmo & fill it with malwares.
- Compromised links - This are links to legitimate and reputable sites which cyber crooks have ruptured and placed either malicious code or ads on their site.
- Phishing links - Generally sent by email on behalf of winning lottery, claiming your prize and asks you to provide personal details like name, address, phone number, bank account number or sometimes link may redirect you to cyber crooks website that asks you for personal data to log in.
You may find this links in your browser search results or spam emails. Sometimes, you might find them in your Facebook timeline, tweets from unknown person. Be vary, although, installing a antivirus software can be very much useful.
Lock your Gizmo when not in use
Most folks have habits to keep their user names, email id and password stores in the mobile phone browsers like opera, safari, bolt, blazer & others to give you one click access to your various web accounts like Gmail, YouTube, Facebook, e-banking. It is recommended to turn internet connectivity off and lock the phone when not in use. The locks vary in complexity from alphanumeric codes to even face recognition in some high-end mobile phones. Android users can install APP-LOCK app from Google play store to lock the device while others can find the similar app or at least start up by Turing ON the auto-locking feature on your gizmo.
If feasible, lock the browser with password. This will keep your personal information safe and secure when your gizmo is in unsafe hands or stolen.
Avoid Spammy Apps
You may come across suspicious links or URLs, may be in spam emails, social media accounts or when you visit unknown website in search of apps which might contain virus, malware, avoid clicking & downloading them. Most mobile phones have an app store or play store for downloading apps, productivity utilities which are genuine. Before purchasing or downloading any new app from anywhere, do your research, look for ratings, popularity, demo version.
An application from unknown developer or website can be fake or modified one by cyber crooks which might collect details like contacts, messages on your phone and use them to attack you.
Cautious while Sharing Photos
If you are sharing your daily life on social networking, make sure you have locked down your privacy settings.
Sharing personal photos publicly means you rub the risk of exposing yourself to entire world. Moreover, if you're moving too fast and not paying attention to photos shared, you may share the wrong photo from your tablet, revealing something that was meant to be private. Be safe & keep too-private photos in separate folder. Be meticulous in what to share & what not as your online reputation is dynamic.
Avoid Geo-Location Tools
Whenever you post anything on any social networking site you may be sharing you current location too, if you have enabled geo tagging or location tool. It can be worse if you're sharing it publicily. Every time you login or post anything means you are telling the world preciously where you're present & on filp side, exactly where you are absent.
As thieves get more tech savvy, there is a possibility that that location sharing could lead to home burglary, if you share that you are not at home for few days. The matter of cyber stalking is also a concern, especially when kids are concerned.
Read Privacy Policy
Registering or doing business with a web site like online shopping, social networking, play store or any multimedia sharing sites just based on its features, secure connections, free offeres is not enough. Equally imperative is its web security. What do they do with your private data? Do they share your personal details like phone number, address, email id and so with third parties? Do they have prominent policy? If yes, what's written?
Just calling it a privacy policy doesn't provide guarantee that it will protect you completely. Read it patiently for yourself. If you're satisfied with it, go ahead otherwise leave it. Even when you install apps on your gizmo and open an account, it has privacy policy. Apps like Facebook, whatsapp, hike, line are among few of them which accesses contact directory on your device, don't believe? Have a look at their policy
Few more tips to browse the web smartly -- Avoid internet browsing through unknown and public Wi-Fi networks. Cyber criminals can attack mobile or tablets by creating phony Wi-Fi hotspots.
- On your home Wi-Fi network enable encryption.
- Think twice before adding your phone number on unknown websites, cyber crooks can use certain software to accumulate them from websites and target those numbers.
- If you come across any suspicious link or a winning prize mail, don't click on it, it contains phishing links or may redirect you to website which doesn't exist, thereby stealing your personal details.
- Keep all applications, operating systems on your tablet or mobile phone up-to-date.
- Research a bit before installing an app. Do not install an app which requires permissions beyond what usually an app requires, it could be some virus like Trojan horse.
