How to Protect your Mobile Devices from Malwares

Since the emergence of smartphones and to the connection on the internet even, malwares has been continuously evolving to gain access to your smartphones. Especially when mobile banking has been a trend. In this age where going digital is the norm, you should consider securing your phones to protect yourself and your hard-earned assets.

Thankfully, one of the digital banks which emerged in the Philippines pre-pandemic has been consistently trying to guide and remind us that our smartphones is now an extension of everything your need protected.

For an initial list of ways to protect your mobile devices from malwares, please refer to the list below:

1. Do not open suspicious attachments in a suspicious email. – since smartphones has a smaller screens and a somewhat more limited view than opening it on a computer, some details may be unclear or more realistic even. Email spoofing could be even considered basic to those who have malicious intent.
2. Install apps from official app stores only; avoid installing apps from third-party and unknown sources. – Official app stores has dedicated team of checkers where they scrutinize the apps before being actually deployed. They probably wouldn’t jeopardize their name by not checking the apps deployed.
3. Install and update an anti-virus app and perform malware scans frequently. – Though some may consider it as bloatware and probably could cause your phones to slow down, an anti-virus wouldn’t hurt especially if you prioritize the safety of your accounts.
4. Update your device’s operating system (OS) to ensure security flaws are fixed. – System updates though sometimes has bugs in them is still an ideal way to secure your devices. These patches come with security and fixes in mind, not just improvement. More often than not, they probably have fixes for security issues you have no idea about.
5. Avoid jailbreaking or rooting your mobile device to avoid weakening your device security. – As much as it is beneficial at some point to root or jailbreak your devices, you may probably notice that some banking apps don’t work when such is detected. This is probably due to the fact that this procedure removes the restrictions that are intentionally placed by the manufacturer. By doing so, you are definitely putting your device at risk.
6. Do not share sensitive information online. – Probably one of the most basic you could come up with and not on the official list distributed by the digital bank I was mentioning above, your sensitive information like numbers, ids, emails, etc. are more than enough for malicious attackers to go and target you. By posting such information, you are immediately putting yourself at risk.

What are your thoughts on this short list? Are there other information your would like to add? Don’t hesitate to comment ’em down below.