Have you ever taken the time to consider just how much data you have saved on your phone? Your phone is a wellspring of private information including photos, conversations, account and password information, banking apps, live location tracking, and it even knows your face. Since we are so accustomed to using our phone daily the weight of all that information getting into the wrong hands may elude us. This warning goes for both personal and company phones. Business phones can hold both personal and business information in it. Someone nefarious gaining access to your company systems – like emails, client information, as well as VPN or network access – can be detrimental.

With all this said … are you armoring your phone with as much security as you do for other pieces of your business? Probably not. And criminals know this very well and are using it to exploit companies and gain access to their networks and servers. Whether you are using a company phone or a personal phone to access business information, you should take caution and follow these steps:

1. Setting up a strong PIN.

Having a hard to break PIN on your phone is the first line of defense. Don’t leave the door unlocked or slightly ajar for anyone to get in! A random assortment of numbers is the best way to go.

2. Install trusted Apps

Confirming the legitimacy of the applications to download on your phone can be a huge deal. Bad actors take advantage of the App Store and can seriously mess up your phone is you download one of their apps. Only download what you need.

3. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

We have always recommended that businesses utilize MFA on all applications and accounts they possibly can.

4. Be cautious of Free Wifi

If you are on a business trip or working from your local café, think twice before you connect to the free Wifi. To stay secure when using public Wifi, consider using a VPN – a Virtual Private Network. Hackers may be monitoring traffic on these networks, but by using a VPN you can avoid this entirely.

5. Keep your phone updated

It is critical that your hardware is running on the latest and greatest. The reason why updates and patches come out is to keep your phone secure, so make sure you are always downloading the latest thing.

If you need help to keep your smartphones safe, we’re here to help so get in touch with us today.