Of course it is. It’s right there on the coffee table, right? It’s nestled in that cool, high-dollar case, waterproofed and shock-resistant, right?
Do you use your phone to access your bank account information? Is that secure?
The concerns surrounding computer use and security have transitioned straight to your smartphone. You’re holding a small computer in your hands; it can enable you to do amazing things, but it can open you up to security breaches, too.
Password Vulnerability
You use a password to log in to your bank account information. In the online world, that password exists on a data plane. If a hacker were to access that data plane, he or she might be able to find and use your password. If you think it can’t happen to you, beware – it happened to me last year. The end result was, my entire contact list received Viagra ads (yes, it could have been far worse). No matter how encrypted you think your password is, you should take precautions.
Any institution operating via an information-sensitive application is vulnerable to a security breach. To combat this, banks moved to a two-step authentication process in 2005, digitaltrends.com reported. This process requires a password and device authentication (logging in from a recognized device). If the user doesn’t have both going for him or her, the next step usually involves a series of challenge questions and verification codes.
And hackers can do the same thing. Those verification codes exist on the same data plane as passwords. It may take a little longer to hack into, but it can happen. This is why I’ve scoured some of the best online backup provider reviews to help keep your mobile devices secure.
Google Authenticator
Top of the list is the Google Authenticator app. This is a multilevel data protector that you can download to your smartphone. It uses a process called time-based one-time password algorithm, or TOTP. TOTP is a constantly generating (every 30 seconds) password system consisting of a six-digit number. The user enters this TOTP number right along with his or her official password for whatever service they’re accessing. According to digitaltrends.com, this level of encryption works even if you’ve lost phone service – since the TOTP is based on time, if your phone’s clock works, so will the authenticator.
Dropbox
Dropbox is, essentially, an online storage locker for all your “stuff” – photos, documents, spreadsheets, business transactions, videos, etc. It’s available on desktop PCs and as an app for your mobile devices.
Once you place items into your Dropbox folders, they are safe and secure in the cloud and available for you to access from any device that has Internet access. In the event of a system failure, services like these provide automatic backup and disaster recovery. There’s an added bonus, too: Users can easily share content and media files that may be too large to send via email.
These solutions are free and easy to use, but most of all, they’re effective. Don’t wait for hackers to get your access to your personal information before you take steps to protect yourself online.
This guest post is from Paul Estrada. Paul writes about the latest in gadgets and tech devices from his home in Ohio.
