October 23, 2014
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month
Las Vegas, NV – Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez
Masto warns that as new smartphone technology emerges consumers should take
precautions to keep personal information stored on mobile phones secure.
Smartphones are essentially small computers that can make telephone calls.
A lost, stolen or unsecured smartphone can leave you vulnerable to identity
theft, credit card fraud, and other threats. Consumers must take the same
security measures they would with their home computers and laptops.
“Technology is constantly transforming itself,” said Masto. “Consumers
must stay up to date with new operating systems and privacy setting to safeguard
their personal information. Additionally, consumers should be cautious of
data used and shared while connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot. This information
can easily be intercepted.”
To protect personal information on smartphones, consumers should take the
following steps:
- Set a passcode or pin on your home screen. If your
phone is lost or stolen other individuals will not be able to access your
applications or private information. It is also a good idea to set
your phone to automatically lock after a certain period of idle time.
- Be wary of Wi-Fi hotspots. Use wireless Internet
wisely, Public Wi-Fi hotspots, such as restaurants and airports, are
inherently insecure and open to anyone else who is connected to that public
network. Do not conduct sensitive business or banking transactions
that could cause harm if intercepted by someone else.
- Turn off geolocation software that pin-points your
exact location showing your phone’s GPS latitude and longitude data, or only
turn it on when needed then turning it off. Not only does it use up
you battery life, but criminals often troll social networking sites and can
use this information to locate and target you.
- Exercise caution when downloading applications.
Only download apps from trusted sources such as those sponsored by your cell
phone provider. Apps from untrusted sources may contain malware which
can steal your personal information and install viruses onto your phone.
Be sure to read the fine print to find out what access the app will have,
such as access to photos and contacts.
- Be sure to logout of websites and apps when you are
done using those apps, especially banking sites or sites where your credit
or debit card information may be stored. If your phone is stolen while
you are still logged in, the thief may now have access to your bank account.
- Reset your phone to factory default settings when selling your
phone. Resetting the default settings on your phone should erase
any data stored on your phone. Remove any memory cards as well.
Smartphones have personal information stored on it, be sure to erase
pictures, contacts and other information when disposing of or selling the
phone.
Consumer protection information can also be found on the Attorney General’s
Web site at
www.ag.nv.gov, the Nevada Fight Fraud website at
www.fightfraud.nv.govand at the
Federal Trade Commission website at www.ftc.gov.
###