For Better Security and adware prevention, Don’t Forget the Basics

With all the talk of security ads by prevention through anti-virus apps, mobile device management and careful inspection of the terms of privacy for everything being downloaded, it can be easy to forget the very basics of security. Not applying common sense when it comes to your personal data can lead to major headaches, such as identity theft or having your credit card information stolen, if your cell phone’s security is lax.

Although cell phones give you the ability to talk anywhere, there are some conversations you simply shouldn’t have in public. It’s something that should go without saying, but with cell phones being as ubiquitous as they are, people sometimes forget the implications of chatting in public. If the conversation is going to involve sensitive personal details, such as banking information or social security numbers, it’s a conversation best held in a private location.

The risk of scammers collecting your data simply by listening to you speak on your phone is amplified by the use of technology such as Siri, Google (News –Alert) Now and voice-to-text apps. While it might be convenient to speak to your smartphone instead of typing everything out, people tend to enunciate far more in these situations, making them easier targets.

Other common sense advice includes limiting what information is displayed to the public from social media profiles. Before the advent of sites like Facebook (News –Alert) or Myspace, most people probably would have balked at the idea of publicly displaying information such as their address, phone number and pet’s names (which are very commonly used as passwords). However, such behavior is now commonplace and it can be a goldmine for potential scammers. By adjusting a few privacy settings, you could save yourself from hours of problems further down the road.