What is Hacking and How to Protect Your Phone and Personal Data?
As the usage of mobile phones has increased, the hackers' interest has also increased towards the mobile phone.
According to IDC, more than 80 percent of the world's sales in the third quarter of 2014 are based on the Android operating system (OS).
Due to being the world's most popular OS, in recent years it has caused hackers' interest.
If you keep an Android phone like millions of Indians, then the BBC is coming for you. Special information on Android phones - What is Hacking and How to Protect Your Phone and Personal Data?
Why the likes of hackers?
Russia's cyber security company Casparsky believes that hackers focus on three things before thinking about Hacking- (1) What OS is most used by people (2) Programs related to OS are available or not (3 ) Whether there are some drawbacks in it or not.
According to the Semantic Security Threat Report 2014 Android mobile phone users have more freedom to download and install the app. Because of this, hackers have also increased interest in this free OS.
Why the issue of concern?
Hacking is often used to steal money from a bank account, steal or sell any person or government related data, or private data. For this reason, it remains a matter of concern for Cyber Security experts.
CEO of Mobile Security Company, CoolSpain, Greg Smith told Forbes in 2013 that it is easy to hack some of Android's features - like camera and mic. The point of concern is that such hacking tools are easily available online.
According to a 2013 Symantec report, such software is available free of charge. Through it, it is easy to create new malware that looks like a real app to cheat the consumer using another tool.
How is the app from danger?
Image result for mobile hacking
According to Dr. Gulshan Roy, Director General, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-in), Android apps that can read your SMS, send premium SMS to others at your expense and steal your data, are dangerous.
Their numbers are increasing. Criminals are also creating a banking trouson app that can steal information like bank password from your phone.
Dr. Roy says that in recent times, the rise in online stores, websites, online forums and social media has led to wrong mobile applications.
Cyber criminals have taken out such methods that encourage consumers to download the malware app.
Security expert Ajin Abraham says that free and pornographic app phones entice consumers with ease.
Abraham says, there are also malware that are made to attack specific companies. Many apps can be part of a government-backed attack.
8 Precautions
1. Do not 'Do Anything' Download
While downloading any app, keep in mind that you download the right website and company's app.
When a particular app launches, many of us download it instantly. Taking advantage of this, hackers provide malware with similar names, which many people download by mistake. You do not even know if a third phone is getting information about his activities.
2. Read the guidance page.
According to Policy Director Pranesh Prakash of the Center for Internet and Society, it is important that you approve the app before installing it's permissions page.
If an app asks for permission to read your phonebook as much permissions as needed, do not install it.
Light is of the opinion that free and open source OS is right to use. Confirming security claims in other types of OS is not easy.
3. Sure backup
Dr Roy says that it is very important to back up the phone data. After all, the security of your data is your responsibility too.
4. Think about Google-free Android
According to independent researcher and technical advisor Vikram Krishna, consumers are not aware that buying Android phones is tied in with Google.
Being unable to install any third-party application of any kind is a key step in protecting the user's privacy. But installing third-party apps is easy on Android.
In such a way, the methods used to safely use Android phones without tying with Google, such as Sionogen Mod, F-Druid, replicant and other FOS OS
5. Make sure to use updates
Krishna says that no software is built in one day, it needs to be repeatedly tested. In spite of this, the possibilities of weaknesses persist in this.
As the company keeps getting their information, the company issues an update. Surely download and install them. Updates are always free.
Abraham says that looking at different versions of Android, Google's latest 5.0 Lollipop is fairly safe compared to the old OS. Many Android phone companies do not issue updates, which directly threatens the safety of the consumer.
6. Use encryption
Use full device encryption on your phone. Recent launches include such features in Samsung, LG, HTC, Apple and Blackberry smartphones (not using Apple and Blackberry and Android).
Encryption screenshot image copywrite OTHER
If you do not have this feature on your Android phone, then use the encryption app.
7. Avoid unsafe Wi-Fi
Nowadays you get access to Wi-Fi networks in many places but avoid Wi-Fi networks that you do not know about being safe.
Never share sensitive data like bank account numbers, credit card passwords on public Wi-Fi.
8. Be sure to keep anti-virus
Needless to say, keep the anti-virus safe for the phone to stay safe when using the Internet. Keep updating it from time to time so that your anti-virus is ready to fight with new threats.
