SAEDNEWS: With the growing importance of protecting personal information on smartphones and other electronic devices, securing information has become one of the biggest concerns for many users in the digital world.
According to SAEDNEWS, Today, mobile phones hold some of the most personal and private information of users. So unauthorized access could make your personal information at risk, such as misuse of work and personal emails, bank accounts, personal photos, and videos. Contrary to the common misconception, hacking a mobile phone is not impossible. In the simplest cases, it can be done easily by installing a spyware or malicious app. However, there are some methods that can help prevent hacking, which we will discuss below.
Phishing is a technique used to collect users' information. Research indicates that fake websites gather individuals' account information by posing as service providers, then either misuse this information or share it with others. Phishing is one of the most common cyber-attacks and can effectively steal information with minimal effort. Typically, users aware of prior risks will avoid installing suspicious apps on their phones, but many do not know how to assess the security and legitimacy of links. Hackers exploit this weakness by creating fake pages that closely resemble their legitimate versions.
Using spam is another way hackers attempt to remotely compromise smartphones. Studies and expert analyses suggest that Android devices are particularly vulnerable to this method, as much of their information is tied to the user’s Gmail account.
Installing various apps can also make smartphones vulnerable. All apps downloaded from online stores come with specified permissions. Notably, app developers are required to clearly list these permissions in their apps on these platforms.
Carefully reviewing app permissions can be an effective way to prevent phone hacking. For example, if a game requests access to your contact list, this is suspicious, as a game typically doesn’t need such access. By checking the permissions of apps installed on your phone, you can quickly identify suspicious cases and prevent your phone from being hacked.
One of the simplest actions users can take to protect their phones from hackers is to turn on automatic updates for apps and the operating system. Updates can review device security and, if any issues are found, fix them to enhance the device’s security. If the smartphone’s operating system is weak, any method to increase security may still leave the user vulnerable to attacks.
Despite warnings, users should avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, as these are prime targets for hackers. In these situations, using a mobile data network is the safest option.
A key indicator of a hacked device is overheating and reduced battery life. To check for abnormal app usage on the battery, go to settings, select the "Battery" section, tap on "More," and view "Battery Usage." For iOS, go to settings, then "Battery" to see a breakdown of app battery usage.
