Today's mobile devices are as powerful and connected as any PC or laptop. They offer the convenience of access to email, news, and other information when not in the office or at home. However, increased access can bring increased risk, so protecting mobile devices is essential to reducing that risk.
A Few Tips
- Keep a Clean Machine. Mobile devices are computers with software that need to be kept up-to-date. Take time to make sure all the mobile devices in your house have the latest protections.
- Secure your phone. Use a strong passcode to lock your phone
- Report the loss or theft as soon as possible, including reporting to the ITS Help Desk if your mobile device is used to access Metro resources.
- Back up all critical information.
- Disable Bluetooth when not in use.
- Carefully dispose of mobile devices. Make sure you wipe the information from your smartphone before disposal.
- Physically secure your mobile devices when not in your possession.
- Record the serial number of the mobile device.
- Get savvy about Wi-Fi hotspots: Public wireless networks and hotspots are not secure, which means that anyone could potentially see what you are doing on your laptop or smartphone while you are connected to them. Limit what you do on public Wi-Fi, and avoid logging in to key accounts like email and financial services.