Message from General Computer Development 

Mobile Security Best Practices

Most of us have a smartphone, but how many of us really think about the security threats faced by these mobile devices? Mobile devices are vulnerable to many different types of threats. The bad guys are increasing attacks on mobile devices and targeting your phone using malicious applications. Using these methods, they can steal personal and business information without you having any idea what’s going on.

Even if you’ve downloaded a security or antivirus application, securing your smartphone goes beyond these services. Improving your mobile security practices is your best defense against the privacy and security issues associated with your mobile device.

How can I improve my mobile security practices?

Always remember these best practices to minimize the risk of exploits to your mobile devices:

Ensure your phone’s operating system is always up to date. Operating systems are often updated in order to fix security flaws. Many malicious threats are caused by security flaws that remain unfixed due to an out of date operating system.

Watch out for malicious apps in your app store. Official app stores regularly remove applications containing malware, but sometimes these dangerous apps slip past and can be downloaded by unsuspecting users. Do your research, read reviews and pay attention to the number of downloads it has. Never download applications from sources other than official app stores.

Ensure applications are not asking for access to things on your phone that are irrelevant to their function. Applications usually ask for a list of permissions to files, folders, other applications, and data before they’re downloaded. Don’t blindly approve these permissions. If the permission requests seem unnecessary, look for an alternative application in your app store.

No password or weak password protection. Many people still don’t use a password to lock their phone. If your device is lost or stolen, thieves will have easy access to all of the information stored on your phone.

Be careful with public WiFi. The bad guys use technology that lets them see what you’re doing. Avoid logging in to your online services or performing any sensitive transactions (such as banking) over public WiFi.

Surviving a Data Disaster

All businesses will face a data disaster at some point, the level of impact can be mitigated by having the right measures and plan in place. 

Data disasters can be caused by human error, cybersecurity breach, hardware & software failures, and natural disasters. These events will create downtime and loss of money. It is estimated that an average of $5,000 per minute is lost due to IT downtime.

When that time comes, will you be ready? 

Businesses must plan ahead and set backup and disaster recovery measures in place to be prepared for the worst. 

Backup and disaster recovery are two separate things. Backup is making copies of your data, having multiple copies of your data in different storage will allow you to access vital information when an incident occurs. 

A disaster recovery plan is the process of getting your IT infrastructure including data, network and devices up and running after an incident. It is reported that 1-in-3 businesses do not have an adequate or updated plan. 

There is no one-plan-fits-all solution. Each business has unique needs and therefore its plan must be customized to consider priorities in the continuity of operations. 

With services such as on-site and off-site backups, enhanced security, user training, cloud storage, your company can be ready to survive a data disaster, and continue operating within minutes, instead of days after the incident. 

GCD can help you create a back up and disaster recovery plan based on your business needs. 

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