Steps to Reduce Becoming a Victim of Phone or Tablet Data Theft
Over three million phones and tablets were reported stolen in the United States alone last year. Along with the theft itself, think of all of the personal information that is stored on those devices. All of your favorite food and beverage, shopping, ride-sharing, banking and other apps that contain personal information ends up falling into the wrong hands. It’s very important to take some practical steps to protect yourself, your family and your private information so that if your device gets lost or stolen, the impact will be minimal.
Have a Screen Lock
This basic security feature is not highly-advanced, but it does provide a first line of defense against unwanted intrusions into your device. It protects you against opportunistic individuals who want to quickly browse through your device when you set it down or walk away, even if they do not plan on stealing it. It will also take your common, run-of-the-mill thief to resell your phone to someone who can crack the code. This can give you time to take further steps to ensure that your data is secure.
Remote Access and Wiping
Most phone manufacturers now have built-in security features that allow you to track your device if it is stolen. Additionally, you can also set it up so you can access your device remotely, such as through a computer, other phone or tablet in order to delete important apps and data. You can even do a factory reset in order to completely wipe most of the data clean. Consider learning how to put this feature to work for you before you end up wishing that you did at a later date.
Never Store Banking Information
Many apps and websites will ask you if you want to store passwords and debit or credit card information. Never say yes. Not only is the information potentially stored directly on your device, but it is also sitting in a database somewhere that can be hacked as well. Always start from scratch when filling in your payment information. The extra few seconds you invest in being cautious can pay big dividends in terms of dealing with the hassle of chasing down banks to replace stolen funds and issue replacement cards.
On the same token, never store passwords or any other information in forms. Clear your history and cache often and always make sure that you avoid using services provided by Apple as well as Android to allow you to “check out” faster or with one swipe.
Change Contact Information
I recently read a story about someone who stole a phone and was able to get bank account information from the owner by extrapolating information from their contact list. Names, addresses and even birthdays are often convenient things to fill in on our contact lists. They make for great reminders. Many email and other services also link contacts on their end to stuff that’s on your device as well. The more information that is accessible through your device makes you more vulnerable to data mining and theft.
Consider changing the name of some of your contacts so their relationship to you is not that obvious. For example, use a first name instead of husband, brother or sister. Or, use a code name to replace important people in your list as well. The only drawback to using this trick is that it may cause confusion if you have a 911 or emergency contact list. However, this would most likely resolve itself if you keep a name and number and list who should be called first. The person on the other end of the phone will be able to explain to authorities their relationship with you.
Limit Data in the First Place
Consider limiting the amount of data you have linked to your apps in the first place. Do you really need the app for your favorite store or restaurant that has your banking information loaded? Do you really need to store sensitive emails or documents on your phone? Do you really need to set up cloud storage services that store your login information? Probably not. Go through what’s important, try to set apps to require you to log in every time and eliminate all but the essential apps altogether.
WiFi Networks
Finally, remember that public WiFi networks are inherently insecure, and you should never make any purchases or check important account information while logged in to these services. Leave those activities for when you’re using data on your provider’s network or at home. The vast majority of device data breaches occur in public spaces when users are logged in to open or poorly-secured WiFi networks.
These are just a few things to be constantly mindful about when it comes to protecting yourself in case your device gets snooped, lost or stolen. However, there are a lot of other things that you can do to increase security, including adding anti-virus and malware software. What other steps do you use, or what other tips can you share with others? Let us know so that we can all benefit from these important precautions.
