In today’s digital world, our smartphones have become a part of us. We use them for almost everything. That’s why it’s important to prioritize their security to benefit from their convenience hassle-free.
So don’t settle for the bare minimum here. You should consider installing additional security measures on top of your antivirus protection– all for the sake of safeguarding all your personal information.
But hey, if you’re still not convinced why you should protect your smartphone, the cybersecurity folks at Kaspersky have three excellent reasons for you:
Your Money is on Your Smartphone
“Our money, bank accounts, mobile e-wallets, and even our investments are literally in our smartphones now – may it be an Android or an iOS device. It’s time to protect them with a robust security solution against financially motivated cybercriminals,” said Adrian Hia, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky.
We might have taken things for granted when our smartphone holds our money. After the pandemic, Southeast Asia saw a massive increase in online banking and e-wallet usage, making it the fastest-growing mobile wallet market in the region.
Thus, mobile payments are popular in Southeast Asia. And cybercriminals are aware of this as well. Over 200,000 were targeted in the region, with over 1,083 malware identified to target mobile banking. In the Philippines, Kaspersky stopped mobile malware from infecting 15,372 users.
Your Workmail is on your Smartphone
“The lack of security solutions on personal mobile devices can impact a company’s overall IT security posture,” explained Hia.
When companies say that mobile devices are a known business risk, they’re not kidding. Besides banking, these devices can also access company email and assets.
The problem with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is that 96% of smartphones connected to company networks are not provided by the workplace, as these phones are meant for personal use.
Over the years, Kaspersky’s researchers have encountered instances where sneaky hackers, AKA Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), get into a company’s systems by infecting a mobile device. Some real-life examples are Pegasus and Chrysor, spyware launched via Android or iOS devices. Kaspersky reported that there are 10,543 mobile ransomware Trojan installers worldwide in 2022. Imagine that.
Your Social Apps are Definitely on Your Smartphone
“Our mobile devices are treasure troves of the social media and messaging apps that we use. In each of them, we have conversations, photos, and private information that we want to keep away from the wrong hands. The other side of the coin is that cybercriminals are also lurking on these platforms, waiting for prey to fall into their traps,” reminds Hia.
In Asia Pacific (APAC), which includes the Philippines, one in four internet users has fallen victim to identity fraud, as revealed in a survey.
To explain identity fraud, it’s when someone pretends to be someone else or uses someone else’s personal information about a person to commit fraud, such as accessing your making online purchases in your name.
The most appalling part of the survey is that many users could not care less about being duped into having their identity used and stolen online. Many remain unconcerned about securing their identity against thefts and online fraud. And most fraud activities happen often on social media apps, mainly used via mobile devices.
In 2022, Kaspersky’s phishing report found that their mobile solution stopped a whopping 360,185 tries to click on phishing links from messaging apps. The majority of these attempts, about 82.71%, were from WhatsApp, followed by 14.12% from Telegram and 3.17% from Viber.
How important securing your smartphone cannot be stressed enough. If you take it seriously, you could avoid being in big trouble. So ensure you update your phone’s software, get some legit security apps, and don’t trust random messages. These tips are basic but will help you in the long run. So do something about it. Now.
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