Cell phone hacking isn’t as common as computer hacking, but it’s something that we should all be aware of and take precautions to prevent. That’s because our mobile phones are in essence mini-computers that serve as gateways to all kinds of personal and business information. This is especially true for anyone who has a separate mobile phone for work or uses their phone for business.
Just think about it. Our cell phones make us vulnerable to hacking because of the very nature of how we use them. We take them everywhere, so that no matter where we are, we can access our bank accounts, business networks, cloud apps that run our businesses, contacts, and much more. Perhaps even more significant, we use them to recover and reset forgotten passwords or to verify our identity via two-factor authentication on accounts; this is when you have to enter two pieces of information each time you log in to an account, with one piece of this information typically being a code that’s emailed or texted to your phone.
What Exactly Is Cell Phone Hacking?
By definition, cell phone hacking is simply when someone gains access to your phone without your permission. There are a number of different methods that hackers use to break into mobile phones, and here are five that you should be aware of:
1. They temporarily gain possession of your physical phone when you are unaware.
2. They use email phishing scams to get you to log in to fake mobile sites that look like the real ones.
3. They use malware apps to install malicious software or change your phone’s software.
4. They gain access to your smartphone through an unprotected Bluetooth or Wi-Fi network.
5. They get enough information to transfer your phone number and account to a different device through SIM card swapping.
Even though this last hacking method requires quite a bit of work on behalf of the hacker, and is less likely to occur, it can present a worst-case scenario when it does happen. The hacker transfers your phone number to a different phone that’s in their possession by calling your phone company, impersonating you, and swapping the SIM. Through this method, they can gain access to all your various accounts, because they can reset and recover passwords with password recovery details sent to your phone number.
10 Precautions to Reduce the Risk of Cell Phone Hacking
Here are some things that you can do to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of cell phone hacking.
1. Never leave your cell phone unattended in a public place, even for a few minutes, or let a third party use it outside of your presence.
2. Download antivirus protection and make sure your phone’s firmware (its operating system) is up to date.
3. Never use your cell phone’s default passcode. Always change it and don’t give the passcode out to anyone else.
4. Add a PIN or passcode on your wireless phone account for logging in to your phone carrier’s site.
5. Use two-factor authentication codes for sensitive accounts, or better yet, use an authentication app like Google Authenticator.
6. Turn off your phone’s Bluetooth service when it’s not in use, and avoid using unprotected Bluetooth networks.
7. Always choose to manually connect to Wi-Fi networks instead of allowing your device to automatically connect and avoid using public Wi-Fi.
8. Do not store PIN numbers, credit card numbers, and other sensitive data on your cell phone if possible.
9. Turn off the device’s autocomplete feature and regularly delete your browsing history, cookies, and cache.
10. Type in web addresses to sites that require you to log in rather than clicking on links sent to your mobile phone via emails.
