HACKERS CAN EXPLOIT CELLPHONE & TABLET WEAKNESSES
Smartphones and tablets have become indispensable tools for sales agents. These devices make you more available to communicate with customers and increase your productivity. On the flip side, they open you up to more potential cyber threats. Hackers are actively looking to infect your devices to steal financial data and passwords and to glean private information on your transactions.
Use the following 5 steps to secure your devices:*
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Getting mobile apps: Only get your apps from the Apple App Store or Google Play. By downloading apps from trusted sources you reduce the risk of getting an app with malware. Infected apps give cybercriminals control of your mobile device, letting them read your emails, listen to your conversation and steal your contacts.
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Update your apps: Hackers search for app vulnerabilities and use them for cyber-attacks. Most updates include “patches” to fix weaknesses and protect your device. Download updates right away and, when possible, set your devices so that apps update automatically.
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Permissions: Most app downloads and updates ask you to grant certain “permissions” when installing. Often the app wants to access your location or other personal data like your contacts or photos. The developer often wants this information just to sell it to others. Before agreeing, ask yourself whether the app needs that information to do its job. If that makes you uneasy ask your IT tech for suggestions of apps with similar functionality that don’t require those permissions.
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Secure your device: If there are children in your home, they should use their own device, or at least be unable to download anything to yours. Kids are tech savvy, but rarely wonder whether what they want to download legit. Use only secure networks for online transactions that require you to log in. Unsecured WiFi in places like coffee shops and airports is fine to get weather updates or the news, but not for things like online banking, shopping or even Facebook.
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Cyber Safety: Cybercriminals are focused on infecting your devices so that they can access your bank account, credit card and password information. Be suspicious of anything free or unexpected that comes from a website or in your email. Don’t click on any links or attachments when you don’t know the sender or are in doubt & refrain from clicking on pop-up ads when you visit a website.
*Source: ALTA TitleNews February, 2018
Trident Land wants to help keep you and your customers safe.
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