April 18, 2020, Kathmandu
Nepalese market saw growth in the smartphone business in this and the previous decades, and it is also estimated that this market will expand over time. From the data and reports from significant Telecommunications’ of Nepal, more than 10 million people in Nepal have their hands on the smartphone.
The central occupancy of people in the different distribution of smartphones consists of cheap and readily available Chine and Indian brand smartphones. Mainly used for storing data such as personal photos, videos, call logs, email, text messages, entertainment, web browsing, Internet, social media, and another day to day activities, smartphones have become a common commodity for Nepalese. People readily buy these smartphones without giving any second thought on its security and build side as they aren’t aware of the massive plethora of attack vectors and vulnerabilities that they carry.
The smartphone is not the only factor that is to be blamed if some mishap or virtual attack on a mobile device user takes place. The basic understanding of technology, the Internet, duties, and responsibilities, consciousness, and awareness are also to be taken into account.
Scams, data leak(theft and piracy), phishing, blackmailing, etc. can take place if the user is not acquainted with the proper knowledge of using the smartphone. Here I will give safety and prevention measures to keep yourself and your loved ones safe, and to keep out from compromising your data !!
What can you do to prevent yourself and your loved ones from getting into trouble?
- Don’t download applications and games from torrents and non-official marketplace.
Some apps and games found on these sites may look promising as their original counterpart, but they are fake. They can contain viruses and codes which can compromise your device stability, performance, and even data stored in your device! Patches like Droiddream and several keyloggers may track your password and personal information, which might get you in trouble if they are in the wrong hands.
In short, if you want an app/ game, get it from the official marketplace( play store/ app store), pay if you have to!! Don’t’ go for cracked or patched applications.
- Don’t download third-party applications.
Prevent yourself, and you are your loved ones from downloading 3rd party applications. These applications may request unwanted permissions, which make your device vulnerable to external data theft and data leaks. There is no alternative for security!!
- Choose strong passwords and encryption tools.
Hackers can try to infiltrate your social media accounts through your smartphone as the majority of people tend to access their social media through handsets. Passwords should be involved and not something used in daily life. Even the passwords such as H3LL0 wOr||) and bl@cKNighT546 are easily penetrable through different dictionary attacks. Something like tulip.whatever.com@484 is more complicated for penetrating software.
- Avoid sharing your personal information online.
Refrain from sharing your real personal information on social media and even to people close to you. Personal privacy comes. First, this makes you less susceptible to online bully, virtual revenge, compromising your account safety, and even your own life. Don’t share passwords, explicit photos or videos of yourself, and also answers to your security questions for emails, lockers, etc. Knowingly or unknowingly, you can be a victim of social engineering.
- Use web and security tools while surfing online.
If you want to protect your precious data and information in the online world, always use security apps such as supported browsers(chrome, firefox, safari opera, etc.) integrated with inbuilt ad blockers(which keeps your device safe from unwanted ads that may lead to spam and unsafe websites, use VPN, and apps such as permission controller as well as greenify.
There is no patch for human stupidity. Be safe; keep your loved ones safe. By following these simple steps, you can keep your smartphone safe, keep yourself safe, and contribute to saving other people safe.