Learn how to accelerate mobile device security

Pew Research and Statista report that 15% of U.S. adults are “smartphone-only” internet users, three-quarters of users worldwide use mobile phones to chat or send messages, and almost half of users navigate by mobile phone daily. We must understand mobile device security.

This illustrates our reliance on mobile phones and the significant impact that hacking, bank account theft, or identity theft could have on our lives. In the following paragraphs, we will explore how these situations can occur and how to prevent disaster effectively.

How to find out if your phone is hacked.

The most common symptom of a phone hacking incident is a phone suddenly developing a fast-draining battery, which can result in overheating. If your phone is slower than usual and happened overnight, it is a sign that you should investigate whether a lousy actor has infiltrated you.

Notice higher-than-usual bills or unusually high bandwidth usage. It might indicate that hackers have infiltrated your phone and sent many unwanted messages.

Have you noticed strange new apps on your phone that you have not installed, or are existing apps taking a long time to respond? Have you noticed unexpected behaviors like your camera opening and closing, strange pop-up notifications or permission changes, or unrequested two-factor authentication codes popping up? These could indicate that you are dealing with a phone hacking incident.

How hackers gain access to Mobile Devices.

Because smartphones are so common, hackers have evolved their methods of accessing information. Malware and viruses are sent through innocent-looking text messages, and once installed, they gather essential data on your smartphone or mobile device. These messages are formulated to encourage you to click on the included link. The link might redirect you to a website where you must download software to “update” an application.

Hackers try to access phones using fake ads to encourage users to click on a link. These advertisements commonly include a warning message to scare the phone into acting quickly. If a mobile user clicks on a link in a false advertisement, they could inadvertently download malware that infects their device and steals sensitive information.

Many hackers develop free apps that provide services like virus protection, cute emojis, or photo editing tools. Once downloaded, these apps can infect your device in the background and gain access to your passwords, text messages, and personally identifiable information.

Public Wi-Fi is a convenient way to stay connected when you’re out and about, but it can be risky for phone users. Suppose a public Wi-Fi network isn’t adequately protected. In that case, hackers may be able to view and access the information you share when you connect without actually taking control of your phone. For an added layer of protection when using public Wi-Fi, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) that will encrypt the data you send.

What to do when you suspect that mobile device security has been hacked.

Your first reaction might be to panic, but it’s better to contact your bank first. Avoid using your infected phone for This. Ensure that your bank accounts are secure, and update your passwords for mobile banking sites.
Change all your passwords to apps that can be accessed on your computer but are also installed on your phone.
Delete all the suspicious apps on your phone.
Make a list of your frequently used apps; if possible, delete those too.
Restart your phone and make sure all the apps have been deleted.
Let your family and friends know that your phone was hacked so they can ignore any text messages that appear to come from you but contain malware.
You could also factory reset your phone, but you will lose all your data, so ensure your photos are backed up.
Install a trusted security software app like Norton 360 Deluxe that can scan your phone to find any remnants of malware.
If you have tried everything but still haven’t been able to illuminate the malware, you should contact a professional.

How to enable mobile device security

A good security package installed on your phone can help protect you by scanning for links, checking text messages, and warning you about suspicious behavior. These packages include Bitdefender, Norton, Kaspersky, F‑Secure, AVG, and McAfee. These apps have features that include password managers, VPNs, alerts, scanning, and safe shopping and browsing monitoring.

Set up two-factor authentication on your phone to protect your essential apps from hackers.

Don’t download sketchy or unreputable apps. If you are unsure, look at reviews and research before installing. Do not install the app if you are not confident in its safety.

Don’t jailbreak your phone. While it allows you to download from unofficial app stores, jailbreaking ups your risk of unknowingly getting hacked. Aside from malware or spyware, you’ll miss security patches in the latest OS updates.

Don’t store passwords on your device. Remembering unique passwords for every account can be difficult, but using a secure password manager will make this much more manageable.

Keep all apps updated, as apps can have programming bugs that hackers exploit. App updates could include bug fixes to protect you from known risks. Install security patches by downloading software and operating system updates as soon as they’re released.

The best practice is to, persistently, unlock your phone with a passcode lock, biometrics, or complex password. Keep your phone with you always, as physical access is the easiest way for a hacker to corrupt your phone. Lost device tracking could help retrieve your phone quickly if you misplaced it. Lock sensitive apps with secure passwords or passcodes and use multifactor authentication for added protection.

Remember to be careful about clicking on strange links or installing any app you don’t recognize. Google Play and Apple’s App Store are always the better choices. Be wary of public charging stations and public Wi-Fi, and as an extra precaution, you might want to turn off your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when they are not in use.

Regularly back up your phone’s data so you will have minimal data loss if you need to factory reset your phone.

Ensure you know how to lock or wipe your device if lost or stolen remotely. Google and Apple provide easy steps to help keep your data safe. Get familiar with how to lock or wipe your devices remotely; it’ll just be another way to keep your data and device secure.

Interesting Statistics

In December 2023, there were 5.4 million mobile cyberattacks, with 6.6 billion smartphone users worldwide.
AdWare and RiskTool were the most common types of mobile malware worldwide in the first four months of 2024, followed by IdShark in the second four months of the same year.
Americans received an average of 19.5 spam texts per month in 2022.
More than 160 iOS vulnerabilities were published in 2024.
8% of devices have an out-of-date operating system.
6% of devices have not updated their Android Security Patch Levels.
6% of devices have no device lock active.
The average global number of times the typical person checks their phone daily is 58.
The average mobile phone user worldwide has between 60 and 100 apps installed.
61% of smartphone users use mobile banking.
26% of driving accidents are caused by mobile phones used while driving.
Over half of Internet traffic is from Smartphones.
There are an average of 41 million messages sent every single minute.

Mobile Device Security Summary

The statistics above should make us realize how much we rely on our phones. We use them daily, which will only increase as smartphone prices decrease, making them more accessible worldwide.

We have entered an age in which illnesses associated with our phones have emerged, the most well-known being Nomophobia, the fear of being without your phone, or “phone addiction. “

Many people do not know their phones could be susceptible to hacking incidents. If we want to protect our identity, private information, and mobile banking, we should take phone security seriously. We need to talk to peers and family about keeping data safe, as awareness is the first step in security.

If you have questions, send us a message or book time with the Servadus team.