5 Essential Steps to Secure Your Phone and Protect Your Data from Cyber Threats

In today's world, our phones hold an abundance of private information. From financial details and personal messages to banking apps, photos, and contact information, everything is stored behind that little glass screen. If your team uses phones for work purposes, they often have access straight into company systems - email, contact lists, network access, and file systems. Therefore, if they are not kept as secure as any other device in your workplace, they can become a gaping hole in your cyber security.

Criminals are well aware of this, which is why they target us through our phones just as much as they do through our networks and servers. However, cybercrime is not the only concern; simply losing your phone or having it stolen can put your data at huge risk.

Whether you issue company smartphones or your employees use their own, it is crucial to ensure everyone implements some simple security steps to protect your data and avoid disaster. Start by setting up a PIN and a biometric login (like a fingerprint or face scan) to open the device. Only install apps from trusted sources to make sure you're using genuine software. And enable Multi-Factor Authentication on all apps that store even a small amount of sensitive data.

Be careful about where you connect to Wi-Fi. If you work remotely or often connect to public networks, consider using a VPN - a Virtual Private Network - to add another layer of security. You never know who's monitoring traffic on a public network. Finally, always make sure your phone is running the latest version of its operating software, and keep all apps up to date.

Smartphones have changed so much about the way we live - at home and at work - but it's too easy to take them for granted. And that could be a costly mistake. If you need help to keep your smartphones safe, feel free to get in touch.