Andy Wise explains four mobile security threats: burglars using GPS tracking, phishing texts that install malware, eavesdropping on unprotected Wi-Fi, and infections from public computers. He recommends password-protecting your phone, avoiding banking on public Wi-Fi, and not clicking suspicious links.
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They are smarter than your smartphone, and your smartphone is exactly what cyber bandits plan to use against you. We're asking Andy about the scams that are the stock and trade of cyber bandits. Andy?
So if you ever receive a request on your cell phone for what's called a push notification, something to track where you are by your smartphone, you better know who's asking, 'cause cyber bandits can use those to hack your device's GPS application and track every place you go. In fact, Police in Nashua, New Hampshire recently arrested 3 burglars who stole more than $100,000 from the homes of 50 people when they were away from home. The burglars knew they were away from home because they had hacked their cell phones. Now, the CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com warns how cyber bandits can also use your cell phone to commit account theft through unprotected Wi-Fi. If you're using your iPad to do your online banking at a Starbucks or some other place that offers free Wi-Fi, you might as well be posting your account on a bulletin board. Password protect your phone and only do your online banking on secure wireless or landline systems. Cell phone eavesdropping. This scam starts with an unsolicited text message made to look like it came from your bank. It says there's a problem with your account and you gotta click a link. Don't click the link. If you do, you'll download software that lets the bandit listen to every call, read every text message, and look at every picture on your phone. Camera viruses from public computers. You connect your cell phone camera or your digital camera to a computer at a library library or internet café or a hotel to upload some pictures. Ah, but a cyber bandit's loaded a virus in that computer to launch on your camera or cell phone. Now your phone or digital camera is infected and so is any other computer connected to it, and all information on them is up for grabs. You should never attach your smartphone or even your digital camera to a publicly accessible computer. There's more, more ways cyber bandits can steal or stalk through your cell phone Every one of them is revealed in this story on the Ask Andy page of WMCTV.com. Andy Wise, Action News 5. Thank you, Andy. If you pay your bills,
