In today’s world where your smartphone is virtually your ‘office on-the-go, main productivity tool and the one device that you are most likely to go back for at home. Have you asked yourself “How secure is the information that I input every day?”

Well, here are some tips that you can use to secure that information and to mitigate its loss.

1. Always secure your phone by password, pin or pattern

This may seem simple, however there are people who are nonchalant about protecting their phones with a password and therefore their information becomes vulnerable. A secure password should be alphanumeric or one of the best password approaches is to use a phrase. For example, you can use the first letter of each word in the phrase “I forgot my mobile phone at home” to get the password “Ifmmp@h”.

2. Keep your software updated

Do not ignore prompts to update your software. In addition, set your phone to check for updates automatically.

3. Download Apps from a trusted source

Yes, we love apps and must have the latest and the best. While the functionalities of most apps are great and can make you more productive, only download them from trusted sources. A good way to verify if the app is as “great” as it purports to be is to check the ratings and reviews. In addition, always read the privacy policy and what phone features it will have access to if you download.

4. Back up your data

Most of us have experienced that “OMG, how am I going to get back my information?” moment when our phone crashes, or is stolen or lost. Never fear, there is a solution called back up. Back up your data every month, every week or every day, depending on how critical the information is to you. ICloud, Google Drive or Office 365 can be used for data backup. Each would be applicable dependent on the type of device.

5. Log out of e-commerce sites after a transaction

When conducting transactions online, whether banking or shopping, always sign out of those sites after completion. It is best not to conduct these transactions using public Wi-Fi and never store your user name and password on your phone.

6. When not in use, turn off

You want to stay connected in real time, anytime however, it’s recommended to turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use. Hackers can use them to connect to your device and access your information.

7. Personal information is valuable

Bank information is valuable. Therefore, if you receive any suspicious requests via texts for bank account details, contact your bank immediately. The same recommendation goes for opening links in emails and texts.

Information in its many forms is valuable and the enormous amount of information that is transferred over the internet grows exponentially every year; you snooze, you lose! Ensure your data is secure!

Gillian Murray is the Marketing Officer at tTech Limited. She can be contacted at 656-8467/656-8448 or by email at gillian.murray@ttech.com.jm