2020 has been a year full of unexpected events, including millions of people now working remotely due to the global pandemic. Because of this, mobile device security is as important as ever.
A mobile device is defined as a portable computing device that is small enough to be used while held in a hand. Some examples include smart phones and laptop computers.
Follow these best practices below to help secure your mobile devices.
Update your mobile device on a regular basis
Don’t ignore the update alerts on your mobile device. Using outdated software increases the risk of the device getting hacked, so be sure to update as needed.
Encrypt data by locking your device
If the mobile device is lost or stolen, the encryption on the mobile device will protect the data stored. Since the data is encrypted while the mobile device is locked, strong passwords or the use of biometrics are suggested.
Lock your device when unattended
It’s very important to lock your mobile device every time you leave it unattended. If the mobile device lands in the wrong hands while unlocked, the data within the mobile device may be subject to unauthorized exposure. Please be sure to report any unauthorized exposure to our office.
Devices must lock out the user interface after a period of time
It’s recommended that mobile devices lock out after a period of time and require a password to regain access. The lockout should occur after no more than 5 minutes for smart phones and 15 minutes for tablets. All smart phones should be configured so that all data is permanently deleted after the incorrect passcode has been entered more than 10 times.
Additional security for your apps
Passwords or biometrics should always be added to apps on mobile devices. Sensitive data like banking information is often stored directly on the mobile device. If the mobile device is lost or stolen, the passwords or biometrics will add an additional layer of protection to the sensitive data if the device is unlocked.
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