Flexibility and easier access to your data comes at a cost to your facility’s security. Mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones are great tools that can be used to give you enhanced visibility into your facility while on the go, but these user-friendly devices should also be used with caution. Regardless of what you are using your mobile device for or even if you are at your facility at the time, certain precautions should be set in place in order to prevent the leak of valuable information to cyber criminals. Remember, using browser based applications and software means that if you accidentally lose your device, a sophisticated hacker can then penetrate the deepest recesses of your operation.
All About Mobile
Keeping your device locked would probably be the first and most obvious step to keeping your mobile devices secure. If your stolen phone falls into the wrong hands, one can easily retrieve all of your sensitive personal information which can be a quick sidestep to infiltrating your facility information. Using passphrases rather than simple passwords and fingerprint security on newer model devices will also give you a much needed bump in security.
Configuring your mobile apps privacy settings can prevent weaknesses in apps to be used against you. While the majority of mobile applications come from trusted sources, some providers allow the download and use of third party applications that have no undergone a thorough safety evaluation. Of course, not all 3rd party applications are malicious, but it is generally safer to stick with applications that are already reputable.
Keeping a backup of your phone data either locally on a computer or using cloud storage can be a life saver. If you have important documents, contacts, and other information that might become hazardous if lost, storing regular backups of your data in a secure location might prove to be an invaluable decision in case of a broken or damaged device.
Phishing scams for mobile devices are a new twist on an old trick. These mobile-friendly attacks are often presented as links that are directed to websites that intend to trick you into providing your information such as passwords or even your facility’s financial information. While you may think you would never fall prey to such a ploy, these websites have become looking increasingly genuine and can easily mimic a typical banking site.
Mobile browser downloads can be particularly alarming. Because of the nature of these attacks, they can happen immediately upon loading a website without your permission. These sudden attacks can cause a serious threat on mobile devices by taking advantage of browser exploits to launch malicious attacks through applications such as PDF Reader and Flash Player. These can sometimes be blocked in your mobile device’s browser settings, but staying away from untrusted sites is the only guaranteed deterrent that can protect your personal and professional information.
Configuring your mobile apps privacy settings can prevent weaknesses in apps to be used against you. While the majority of mobile applications come from trusted sources, some providers allow the download and use of third party applications that have no undergone a thorough safety evaluation. Of course, not all 3rd party applications are malicious, but it is generally safer to stick with applications that are already reputable.
Keeping a backup of your phone data either locally on a computer or using cloud storage can be a life saver. If you have important documents, contacts, and other information that might become hazardous if lost, storing regular backups of your data in a secure location might prove to be an invaluable decision in case of a broken or damaged device.
Phishing scams for mobile devices are a new twist on an old trick. These mobile-friendly attacks are often presented as links that are directed to websites that intend to trick you into providing your information such as passwords or even your facility’s financial information. While you may think you would never fall prey to such a ploy, these websites have become looking increasingly genuine and can easily mimic a typical banking site.
Mobile browser downloads can be particularly alarming. Because of the nature of these attacks, they can happen immediately upon loading a website without your permission. These sudden attacks can cause a serious threat on mobile devices by taking advantage of browser exploits to launch malicious attacks through applications such as PDF Reader and Flash Player. These can sometimes be blocked in your mobile device’s browser settings, but staying away from untrusted sites is the only guaranteed deterrent that can protect your personal and professional information.
Network exploits can make mobile devices just as (if not more) vulnerable as desktop and laptop computers. A common, yet dangerous, practice is to leave your Wi-Fi settings to seek open networks it can connect to. While this may seem like a good idea to avoid problems such as mobile provider data caps, this also leaves your device vulnerable to scams such as fake networks. These traps are often found in public places such as hotels or coffee shops and may masquerade as official network names such as “[Business Name] Wireless” and can insidiously capture your information as soon as you connect to them. Personal information stored on your mobile device such as session IDs, cookies, and passwords are regularly shared unencrypted throughout these networks and can all be picked up by anyone else sharing the same network as yourself by using “sniffing” tools. If you are going to use these common-place Wi-Fi networks despite the lingering threats, it is always best to attempt to find out from the establishment hosting the network what the best way to connect is.
Remember that when you are choosing to use mobile devices or browser-based software for your facility operations, you are making a definitive trade for flexibility over security. Not to say that these cannot or should not be used for your purposes, but the vulnerabilities that these systems inherently carry is not something that should be lightly dismissed. If you do lose a device that may have information stored about your facility or the ability to access a facility’s browser-based software, you may consider contacting your provider and asking if they have the option to remotely lock the device. In a more severe case you may want to consider applications that will completely erase the information stored on your device (assuming you installed one previous to losing the device).
While you may be upset at having to delete all of your personal pictures and the rest of your personal, your facility’s financials and tenant data will at least be inaccessible for any potential threats at that point.
Data security for your facility is not a battle won quickly, but following these practices and acknowledging the threats before they are at your front door can be the deciding factor on whether an attack is successful and what impact it will have if the attack does breach your defenses.
If you are concerned about the security of your current operation or are simply looking to improve your facility's effectiveness, contact one of our friendly sales representatives or try your free demo today to see what you are missing!
-Kevin Kerr
Marketing & Sales Coordinator
Empower Software Technologies
Remember that when you are choosing to use mobile devices or browser-based software for your facility operations, you are making a definitive trade for flexibility over security. Not to say that these cannot or should not be used for your purposes, but the vulnerabilities that these systems inherently carry is not something that should be lightly dismissed. If you do lose a device that may have information stored about your facility or the ability to access a facility’s browser-based software, you may consider contacting your provider and asking if they have the option to remotely lock the device. In a more severe case you may want to consider applications that will completely erase the information stored on your device (assuming you installed one previous to losing the device).
While you may be upset at having to delete all of your personal pictures and the rest of your personal, your facility’s financials and tenant data will at least be inaccessible for any potential threats at that point.
Data security for your facility is not a battle won quickly, but following these practices and acknowledging the threats before they are at your front door can be the deciding factor on whether an attack is successful and what impact it will have if the attack does breach your defenses.
If you are concerned about the security of your current operation or are simply looking to improve your facility's effectiveness, contact one of our friendly sales representatives or try your free demo today to see what you are missing!
-Kevin Kerr
Marketing & Sales Coordinator
Empower Software Technologies
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