British IT users need to take back control when it comes to securing their digital and mobile lives, it’s claimed on ‘Safer Internet Day’.
We use smartphones and tablets for downloading games on the go, banking online or doing the weekly grocery shop. However, despite the rise in the use of mobile apps, of the 2000 UK adults surveyed, 67 per cent are unaware of the personal information they could be giving away by not reading terms and conditions on the apps they download, according to research commissioned by Intel Security for Safer Internet Day.
Those aged 18 to 24 years were less likely to read the T&C’s with 65 per cent of this age category choosing not to do so. Some four in ten, 41 per cent of respondents cited a lack of time being as the main reason for not reading through the terms and conditions and other reasons included that they simply do not care about the terms and conditions because they want to the app regardless (20 per cent), and that they trust app stores (20 per cent). Whilst app stores do make efforts to ensure malware-laden apps are kept off their shelves, it still occurs. McAfee Labs found that over 80 per cent of Android apps track you and collect your personal information. Apps are also the main way that malware can be downloaded to your smartphone or tablet.
Evidently, the same level of diligence we apply to protecting our PCs and laptops does not translate into our mobile lives. The study also reveals that over half of UK mobile users (57 per cent) do not believe it is their responsibility to protect their own devices. This comes despite recent reports revealing that one in six Britons have fallen victim to cyberattacks and that 60 per cent of mobiles are at risk due to a lack of malware protection.
Intel Security’s VP of Consumer, Nick Viney, said: “It should come as no surprise that cybercriminals are turning their attention to mobile given that the same precautions we take on our PC or in the real world don’t always seem to apply in our mobile lives.
“To combat this risk, we must take back control and practise basic security measures to ensure we’re not unknowingly handing over our most valuable and personal information to cybercriminals. Safer Internet Day should serve as an annual reminder to take stock of our digital lives, and to make sure we’re practising good cyber hygiene.”
Tips
Carl Leonard, principal security analyst at Websense offers some tips. Do –
1. Avoid unknown websites and be suspicious of emails that ask for sensitive personal information. If someone came up to you on the street and asked you to write down all your personal information, including date of birth, credit card numbers and passwords you wouldn’t, so why do it online?
2. Avoid clicking on any websites or attached files in emails that aren’t from people that you know or trust, or that you weren’t expecting to receive
3. Ensure that the website of the page starts https:// before you enter any confidential data – this ‘s’, and a padlock at the bottom of the page, means the page is secure
4. Ensure your computer, mobile, laptop operating systems are kept up to date and that your security and anti-virus software is patched with the latest updates. Set those applications to update automatically if you can.
5. Be vigilant in ensuring the security of websites that you visit. Tools exist that allow you to check how secure a website is before you visit it, try our real-time threat analysis for size: http://csi.websense.com/
And don’t …
1. Don’t ignore those alerts advising you that applications are out of date. As we saw with the Java vulnerability in 2013, failing to update programmes can be the weakness that helps cybercriminals steal your data. Set those applications to update automatically if you can, as fake update notifications are a method that cybercriminals use to trick you into infecting your machine.
2. Don’t open anything that looks dodgy or unsafe, or promises you that you’ll win a fortune. If it sounds too good to be true, it is, so if your email filter doesn’t block it, just delete it
3. Don’t use obvious passwords or the same password for every online service that you use. This simply invites cybercriminals to hack into your accounts, as they know the most popular passwords that people choose. Most online services now ask for a combination of numbers and letters, and often lower and upper case letters when setting your password. The more difficult you can make it for someone to guess your password the better
4. Don’t store any personal information or passwords on your computer in the clear – sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how appealing that information is to cybercriminals!
5. Don’t worry about using the Internet as long as you keep in mind the points above. It’s largely a very safe place to browse and buy from, so enjoy it!
