Mobile security

Most people have mobile phones. They are now very advanced, offering internet, email, games and lots of other handy apps. They're also smaller and lighter, which can make them easy to lose.

Because mobile devices can now do almost everything a home computer can, they are vulnerable to the same risks.

What are the risks?

Nuisance text messages have been around for a few years. Mostly they are just annoying, but a scam known as 'smishing' attempts to steal your personal information or dupe you into a very expensive, useless service. The most common way is a text along the lines of "you've signed up for our service, costing £X a day. To cancel, go to this website www.xyz.com"

Sharing technology like Bluetooth can also put your personal information at risk if you don't set who can 'see' your phone.

How to protect yourself

  • If your phone or mobile device has a PIN function, use it.
  • Only download applications and games from official websites.
  • Protection from Viruses - Use anti-virus software that has been specifically designed for mobile devices.
  • Never open or reply to SMS messages, or emails if you don't know who they are from.
  • Switch sharing technology like Bluetooth off, unless you are using it.