{"id":7554,"date":"2016-01-05T14:34:58","date_gmt":"2016-01-05T14:34:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/?p=7554"},"modified":"2024-01-17T14:51:17","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T14:51:17","slug":"10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"10 top tips on how to protect your phone from cyber attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s one of the biggest times of the year for online shopping, and a lot of that browsing is done on mobile phones. But malicious attacks on shoppers increased by 40% on Cyber Monday (source: EnigmaSoftware.com) and unfortunately if recent trends are anything to go by, it\u2019s likely we may see a similar increase this year.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not all doom and gloom. The number of cyber attacks on mobile devices is still a lot lower than on traditional PCs, and developers have learnt lots from the early internet days. Smartphone operating systems have been designed with more rigorous security measures in mind, and we\u2019re all aware of mobile security threats.<\/p>\n

But as we\u2019re using our phones more, and as we\u2019re storing more on those phones, there are still lots of things you can do to safeguard your device to ensure you don\u2019t put your personal information at risk.<\/p>\n

Here are SellCell.com’s <\/a>top ten tips on how to protect your phone from cyber attacks:<\/p>\n

1. Set a password\u2026and make it a good one: <\/strong>It sounds obvious, but a poll by McAffee revealed that 30% of people still don\u2019t password protect their phones! If you don\u2019t have a password, you risk putting all of your information at risk by handing it over to anyone who has control of your device \u2013 and if you\u2019re using your phone to pay for things, you\u2019re basically handing over your wallet too. As well as traditional text and numerical passwords, it\u2019s also possible to set passwords based on pattern recognition. These are more secure as there are lots of pattern variants to choose from, making the password harder to crack. Modern smartphones also include biometrics so you can set passwords based on things like fingerprint recognition, too.<\/p>\n

2. Always update your software: <\/strong>Always update your phone so that it is running the latest version of the operating system. Not only will this make your phone run better, but most importantly each update closes known security vulnerabilities. On a similar note, never jail-break or root your phone \u2013 i.e. don\u2019t remove software restrictions put in place. If you do, you\u2019re more vulnerable to cyber attacks because you won\u2019t be able to update to the latest version of the operating system when it comes out.<\/p>\n

3. Keep Bluetooth turned off unless you need it<\/strong>: If you\u2019re not using your Bluetooth, make sure you turn it off. This is another way that unknown apps or viruses can be sent to your phone, so it\u2019s best to keep it off. Turning your Bluetooth off will also help your battery life, too!<\/p>\n

4. Avoid unknown Wi-Fi networks: <\/strong>Hackers sometimes set up fake wifi hotspots to do \u2018man-in-the-middle\u2019 attacks. So while you\u2019re running on that wifi network, they will see everything that goes through it \u2013 including all of your passwords<\/p>\n

5. Check your bill: <\/strong>With online billing and unlimited call plans, it can be easy to not think about your phone bill. But do take a look at it as you\u2019ll be able to quickly spot any suspicious charges as soon as they happen. The same goes for checking bills which are linked to your phone, like bills from apps and music service providers. Have a look and make sure that only things you have paid for are being bought from those accounts.<\/p>\n

6.Don\u2019t download apps from outside approved stores: <\/strong>Make sure you only download apps from approved stores like the Apple App Store, Google Play and the Amazon App Store, to ensure that you\u2019re downloading and paying for those apps from approved marketplaces. This reduces the risk of downloading something that could be dangerous for your phone. Watch out for pirated apps, too \u2013 especially those that say they will install or download other apps for you.<\/p>\n

7.Read the Ts & Cs: <\/strong>When downloading apps, you\u2019re often presented with a huge list of terms and conditions. Don\u2019t ignore them! Sometimes clicking \u2018accept\u2019 gives those apps permission to access all sorts of information that you may not want it to. If you\u2019re not in control of your privacy you have no idea where your data could be going, so take charge and ensure you know who you are giving access to your data, and why.<\/p>\n

8. Be careful what you click: <\/strong>If you\u2019re reading things on your phone, it can be easy to click links on social media and emails. But if they are from someone you don\u2019t know, or if they look suspicious (like a friend advertising something on Facebook that they wouldn\u2019t normally), make sure you don\u2019t click on them, because they may not be safe.<\/p>\n

9.Look out for the SSL certified stamp of approval when paying:<\/strong> If you\u2019re paying for something on your phone, just like you would on your PC, make sure you\u2019re only purchasing from sites that are SSL certified. This ensures that you have a secure connection when making that payment, reducing the risk of fraud.<\/p>\n

10. Don\u2019t forget to wipe your phone when recycling it\u2026 but back up your data first! <\/strong>Finally, if you\u2019re looking at recycling your phone through a service like SellCell.com, make sure you wipe it before sending it off! But before you wipe it, also make sure you\u2019ve backed up all of your contacts, documents, photos and everything else \u2013 either on a hard drive, or using a secure cloud service. As well as wiping it of all apps, reset the phone to its initial factory settings. This ensures that your phone doesn\u2019t contain any data on it when it is sent away, so you can relax and wait for the money to arrive in return for reselling it!<\/p>\n

Remember you have no data security issues when trading in your phone or device through us.  To be guaranteed the best price for trading in your old device visit www.SellCell.com<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s one of the biggest times of the year for online shopping, and a lot of that browsing is done<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1821],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nCheck out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SellCell.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-01-05T14:34:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-01-17T14:51:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/cyberattack.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"John Merchant\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"John Merchant\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"John Merchant\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/841b208b82b7e58948b00f3cf6a9add3\"},\"headline\":\"10 top tips on how to protect your phone from cyber attacks\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-01-05T14:34:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-01-17T14:51:17+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/\"},\"wordCount\":1013,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Mobile Phones\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/\",\"name\":\"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2016-01-05T14:34:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-01-17T14:51:17+00:00\",\"description\":\"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"10 top tips on how to protect your phone from cyber attacks\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"SellCell.com Blog\",\"description\":\"Cell Phone News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"SellCell\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/c9ac71a8282e1fecd95e-f07dbcddcacf0d4c572ea7178ee6902d.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/sellcell-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/c9ac71a8282e1fecd95e-f07dbcddcacf0d4c572ea7178ee6902d.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/sellcell-logo.png\",\"width\":696,\"height\":696,\"caption\":\"SellCell\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/841b208b82b7e58948b00f3cf6a9add3\",\"name\":\"John Merchant\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cfe70f1738cd4377d28a4f1fdca42d08?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cfe70f1738cd4377d28a4f1fdca42d08?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"caption\":\"John Merchant\"},\"description\":\"John Merchant has spent over a decade with SellCell, where he has written in-house news stories, provided expert commentary on industry statistics, and delivered company updates that keep readers informed and engaged. With a sharp eye for trends and a passion for clear, accessible communication. Outside of work, John is a lifelong gamer and an avid Android enthusiast, always eager to explore the latest devices, apps, and innovations. His mix of professional insight and personal passion allows him to bring both authority and personality to his writing, making complex topics relatable and enjoyable for readers.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/author\/john-merchant\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks","description":"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks","og_description":"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks","og_url":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/","og_site_name":"SellCell.com Blog","article_published_time":"2016-01-05T14:34:58+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-01-17T14:51:17+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/cyberattack.jpg"}],"author":"John Merchant","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"John Merchant","Estimated reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/"},"author":{"name":"John Merchant","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/841b208b82b7e58948b00f3cf6a9add3"},"headline":"10 top tips on how to protect your phone from cyber attacks","datePublished":"2016-01-05T14:34:58+00:00","dateModified":"2024-01-17T14:51:17+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/"},"wordCount":1013,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Mobile Phones"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/","url":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/","name":"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2016-01-05T14:34:58+00:00","dateModified":"2024-01-17T14:51:17+00:00","description":"Check out our top tips to Protect your mobile phone from cyber attacks","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/10-top-tips-on-how-to-protect-your-phone-from-cyber-attacks\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"10 top tips on how to protect your phone from cyber attacks"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/","name":"SellCell.com Blog","description":"Cell Phone News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"SellCell","url":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/c9ac71a8282e1fecd95e-f07dbcddcacf0d4c572ea7178ee6902d.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/sellcell-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/c9ac71a8282e1fecd95e-f07dbcddcacf0d4c572ea7178ee6902d.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/sellcell-logo.png","width":696,"height":696,"caption":"SellCell"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/841b208b82b7e58948b00f3cf6a9add3","name":"John Merchant","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cfe70f1738cd4377d28a4f1fdca42d08?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cfe70f1738cd4377d28a4f1fdca42d08?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"John Merchant"},"description":"John Merchant has spent over a decade with SellCell, where he has written in-house news stories, provided expert commentary on industry statistics, and delivered company updates that keep readers informed and engaged. With a sharp eye for trends and a passion for clear, accessible communication. Outside of work, John is a lifelong gamer and an avid Android enthusiast, always eager to explore the latest devices, apps, and innovations. His mix of professional insight and personal passion allows him to bring both authority and personality to his writing, making complex topics relatable and enjoyable for readers.","url":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/author\/john-merchant\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7554"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7554"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7554\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16710,"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7554\/revisions\/16710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sellcell.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}