Don’t Let Your Cell Phone Get Hacked!

There are not too many people left in the world today who can say that they don’t possess a mobile phone. Cell phones have become as common today as wearing shoes. They are as ubiquitous as house keys, but they also contain important personal information and that leaves them as targets for people who steal information. Most of us are unaware of the danger or even that it’s possible to be so vulnerable to that sort of attack. These days cell phones are like mini computers that can be hacked into as easily as your home computer, sometimes even more so. The more popular cell phone operating systems like Microsoft’s, Google’s, or even Apple’s are all potential targets due to their wide spread use. Since these are the same systems that also run on our computers at home but with less of the security it was only a matter of time before criminals looked to exploit those weaknesses. For the billions of cell phones in use there are only a handful of companies responsible for the software on them. Nokia, which was once the leading smartphone supplier has recently signed a partnership agreement with Microsoft to use their system exclusively on Nokia phones. This means that there will be even fewer software platforms to choose from.

Along with the commonality and openness of most cell phone platforms, as they become more like computers they rely on wireless networking, Most come standard with 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, which allow for convenient access to networks, sharing between devices, and downloading new applications and content. This convenience also creates a door for these hackers to get through to wreak havoc on your phone without you even knowing it. There are not too many ways to fully protect yourself from these unwanted intruders, but the first step is being aware that they are out there. Many of these cell phone operating systems have advanced built in protections. That is part of the reason we find ourselves constantly downloading updates. The important thing is to stay up to date with your software, as well as not leave your personal information in an easy to get at form, like passwords, private emails, banking codes, addresses or ID numbers.

So next time you use your cell phone be aware of the hidden dangers that lurk in the wireless atmosphere. Know what to look for to see if your system is vulnerable to cyber criminals and insure the security of your favorite handheld device.