I have to admit, I love my iPhone. I can connect to my social media, publish a blog post, access my financial accounts, pay my bills, get exclusive deals pushed to me where ever I am and the list goes on and on. Instant access to almost any content I might need. But all this access comes with a price. I’m not talking about the cost of the phone or your data plan either. I’m talking about the security of your information.

In an article at Infoworld the writer explains that malware apps are running rampant on Android devices due to it’s loose controls over app access and users ability to circumvent security. He goes on to state that iPhones are slightly more secure because of Apple’s strict policies for app store inclusion. Of course the point isn’t to start a mobile device war but simply to make you aware of the dangers this access can cause.

While I encourage you to read the article linked to above I also wanted to provide a short list of tips to help keep your smartphone more secure.

• Only install apps that you trust. Downloading random apps simply to try some cool feature could actually be installing malicious software.
• Treat your email just like you would on your desktop. Never open attachments that you did not request or weren’t expecting.
• Jail breaking or modding your mobile device can open you up to many security vulnerabilities. If you don’t know exactly what you are doing and what vulnerabilities you might be opening up…don’t do it.
• Only use your financial institutions applications for accessing your financial data. While other apps may seem “feature rich” not all of them have put the same care in your financial information security and some may even be working against you.s

Smartphones are extremely convenient but only if we are smart about what we do with them.

Stay safe, stay secure

James