Mobile devices are a fact of life, and those devices are getting smarter all the time.  A recent Pew study reveals that 64% of Americans now use a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011.  That figure is expected to continue to rise.  These devices are small, valuable, and generally easy to re-sell making them a prime target for theft.  Some estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 3 thefts in the United States involves the theft of a smartphone.

Most dangerous for those who own these devices is the vast amount of personal information that is stored on them.  Google, Apple, and Microsoft are gathering and using more personal information so that they can deliver better services through platforms such as Google Now, Siri, and Cortana.  Some of the information on these devices includes detailed location and location history information; contact information for friends, relatives, and co-workers; pictures of family including children; financial information, instant access to various email accounts, social media accounts, and bank accounts.  In the hands of a criminal this information can be used to commit identity theft, financial theft, stalking, endangering those you love...the list is endless and quite alarming.

So what do we do?  Do we live with these risks?  Do we "dumb down" our smartphones by not taking advantage of their advanced features?  Do we stop using them altogether?  I don't think so.  The benefits of smartphones are undeniable and the good news is that they can be used safely.  Further, there are tools available and things that even the novice can do to secure these devices and prevent such information from being used against them in the event of the loss or theft of the device.

First, and most important, SET UP A PASSCODE to lock your device when it's not in use.  This is the single most useful step anyone can take.  The good news is the newer the phone, the more options you have and the easier it is to use seemlessly.  Now I'm not suggesting that you necessarily have to have your phone lock every time the screen goes off.  That would bug even me, to be honest.  You can set the delay for a reasonable timeframe, say 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, even half an hour.  The shorter the better, but anything is better than nothing.  On newer phones, such as the Galaxy S6 and the iPhone 6, built in fingerprint readers make it so that you don't even have to enter the passcode to unlock the phone, simply placing your finger on the home button will unlock it.  It doesn't get much easier than that.  Some devices even have "smartlock" features, that will allow you to configure your device so that you don't need the passcode to unlock the device when it is paired with a trusted bluetooth device, or your home Wi-Fi connection.

In the event your device is stolen, it is important to know that there are ways to track it, remotely lock or wipe it, or even ring it to find that phone that your toddler helpfully dropped behind the couch (even if the ringer is off!).  Google, Apple and Microsoft all offer these features.  Make sure you set them up now so that you're ready for that dreaded day.  Instructions for each major platform can be found at the following links:

Android (Google) – Log into Android Device Manager.

Apple – Log into iCloud.

Microsoft Windows Phone – Log into My Windows Phone.

Finally, we have been hearing stories about the increasing threat of malware on mobile devices.  Unlike some of the fear mongers trying to sell you expensive solutions, I'll give you some free, common sense advice on how to avoid such threats.

• Only install apps from the official app stores.  For Android, this means the Google Play store or Amazon App Store.  Personally, I even avoid proprietary stores such as carrier stores (i.e. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile) or manufacturer stores, such as Samsung's store or others.  For Apple, this means iTunes.  For Microsoft, this means the Widows Phone Store.  These official stores not only review all app submissions, but also have the capability to remove malicious apps that may slip past their review process, even after they are installed on your device!  Avoid third party app stores at all costs, especially foreign app stores.
• Do not "root" or "jailbreak" your device.  Most users will not have the technical expertise to do this at any rate, but don't even try unless you are a professional developer or security researcher.  Rooting devices takes advantage of security flaws, and allows the user to do things at a system level that can cause big problems and expose them to significant security risks down the road.
• When installing apps, take note of the permissions.  If you don't like the permissions, don't install the app.  It makes perfect sense for a mapping app to want to use your location, a photo app to want access to your camera, but does a flashlight app really need access to your contact information?  App developers are required to inform users of the permissions they request either at the time of install (Andorid and Windows) or prior to accessing and using the permission (Apple).

I hope you found these tips useful.  If you have any questions or would like to make additional suggestions on your own, please leave a comment.  Stay safe out there!  The tools are there at your disposal, so it's up to you to protect your device as well as yourself.

Welcome!

Well, I'm finally taking the plunge.  I'm embarking on a new endeavor, a security blog that I hope will cover a wide range of topics, from general information security, to social engineering, "cyber-security", mobile device security, pretty much anything is fair game.  Suggestions for topics are certainly welcome.

The aim is to provide a wide range of security related advice that can be applied in everyone's day-to-day lives.  My target audience isn't the security professional, but the average user who simply wants some easy to use tips and guidance on how to stay relatively safe in today's dangerous world.