Over the past few years, we have seen an explosion in the creation of mobile apps and what they can do. Now you can play games, do work, learn a language, and do any number of things from your phone, but it has also opened the door people to exploit our desire to do everything from our phones. There are all kinds of scams just waiting to take advantage of you and your information, so here a few tips to avoid getting scammed by a hacker.
Only Use Approved Apps
Hackers are very clever; they usually try to get customers to download apps from unapproved stores. These applications are staged as secure mobile wallets. To avoid exposing your confidential information, ensure that you do a background check on the legitimacy of the mobile app before you download it.
Avoid Jailbroken Devices
Jailbreaking is enticing to some users because it allows one to use other mobile providers and software other than the ones initially allowed on the device. The downside to it is that you might think you are downloading a useful app for free, but malicious software may be downloading in the background with the intention of hacking your account.
Use Secure Apps
If you are using an app for purchases or anything involving money, ensure the app you are going to use for mobile banking has common technology security features like the ones below.
Two-factor authentication: Banking apps use a two-factor authentication system that requires additional security information besides the username and password. It can be a code that is sent to your mobile phone which adds another security layer to your login process.
Innovative log-ins: User verification is also an important part of mobile banking. It can include fingerprint recognition, retina scanning or facial recognition. Some financial institutions are experimenting with finger movements and other gestures to enhance mobile banking security, with the intention of making it hard for a criminal who is trying to access your account.
Update Your Phone
Android and Apple usually release system upgrades that include updates in security features that help in protecting your phone against malware attacks. Criminals usually try to exploit the open architecture of the Android system. The breach in Android systems has been backed by research from Pulse Secure which is cybersecurity company. The company found that 97% of attacks on cybersecurity targeted Android systems. Therefore, it is important for users to upgrade their Android systems frequently.
Conclusion
It is important to monitor your bank account, and in case you find a suspicious activity, or you lose your banking card, reporting a missing or stolen card is important to help the bank’s cybersecurity department to be on top of bank breaches. Ensure that you use a trusted secure app, update your device regularly to protect your bank account from criminals.
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