“A few cyber security tips and ways to be alert, helping you great deal in tackling safe and secured Internet, if something suspicious takes place online.”
The images you see in daily lives on your smartphone, is just the single most representation of large amounts of data present in the mobile arena. Mobile devices carry much more data then you can ever imagine. Whether multimedia data related to pictures, videos, sounds, security data related to passwords, fingerprint scanning, backups, or even other data, your personal information gets stored at one place or another creating room for phishes or hacks.
You provide your personal information, simply because you trust your mobile device blindly for making your lives simpler. It helps in completing things quicker and in an easier way. It helps in staying organized. It completes cumbersome tasks within no time. Also, helps in calculating financials. Enables people to be in touch with each other irrespective of geographical boundaries. The list is endless.
However, with tremendous power coming handy, there also comes great responsibility in handling the device cautiously. Personal information or sensitive data is a great tool for criminals to earn easy money. So with increasing data, don’t you think you should be more careful? Following a few simple steps can help you avoid complex problems. Data phishing and hacking takes place all the time, especially in ecommerce, wherein you need to provide your payment information for online buying and selling.
Henceforth, we bring to you a few cyber security tips that will help you great deal in dealing with safe and secured ecommerce.
- Shop only on HTTPS secured ecommerce website
Checking whether the ecommerce site is secured with HTTPS or not on mobile phone might turn out to be bit difficult, however the end result is worthy of taking pains. All smartphone web browsers will depict an HTTPS website with a lock icon present just on the left hand side of the URL. To double check, type the URL of the website again in the address search bar, and click Enter. It is not necessary that every HTTPS website is highly secured. However, you are certainly minimizing the probability of getting caught by eavesdroppers to a great extent.
- Download or purchase apps only from an official app store
There are many third party application stores available on the Internet today. They disappoint when it comes to inspecting right kind of applications gaining entry in their App Stores. This provides room for masquerading apps and repackaged apps. You might think you are downloading an app. However, in reality you are downloading an exact replica or a dummy version of the same app. You might experience tremendous ads in such apps or even these apps may breach in your device as well. Only download apps from official Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Microsoft Windows Store.
- It is necessary to have a PIN set for your device
You might have heard this all the time not realizing the importance. However, setting up PIN passcode for the device is as important as locking the doors of your house while going out. It acts as a major safeguard as someone else cannot access your device without official confirmation from your end. Most of them have the habit of storing passwords in the mobile device. In such a scenario, you can be safe and secured regarding your private data information even if your smartphone is with others.
- Do not have the habit of storing important passwords in your smartphone
Usually Notes app is used majorly for storing passwords difficult to remember due to many social accounts, bank accounts, and others. Never store these highly critical and important passwords anywhere in your mobile. It is extremely easy to simply copy paste these alphabets, digits, or characters and access all your confidential data and money.
Following precautionary measures as above will not completely serve the purpose. You will have to be alert whenever online. See what things are happening around when online. Ask yourself whether anything you do will be harmful or not. We will show you the ways to be alert when something suspicious is taking place online.
- Phishing emails will flood your inbox all the time
Phishing emails are the ones that look like bank messages, credit card companies sending offers, or other organizations luring you for winning jackpots, and more. They often accompany URGENT word in their subject line to create a sense of urgency. They also tell you to verify your account by sending your payment information to them. When you click on the links present in such emails, you are asked to create an account by entering the above information. After logging in, thinking that you have landed on company’s website, you unknowingly have allowed scammers to hack your account.
- Spot the difference to detect website authenticity
Many a times there is a thin line of difference between original website and malicious website. As an example, let say if usbank.com is an original website, a user may unknowingly type usbanki.com and get stuck in the trap of eavesdroppers. It is easier tosspot this difference on desktops, laptops, or tablets. However, is it relatively simpler as well on mobile? With small smartphone screen sizes, it is very hard to spot this micro difference. Sometimes, even the most tech savvy people fall victims to this. The best practice is to ensure the website URL you are searching for thrice after typing the address and before clicking Enter.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or emails
You can always be on a safer side if you follow this step and store it in your mind as a one-stop formula against all online scams. Simply refrain from clicking on emails that are completely misguiding and links that look dicey. Even if by mistake you click on such emails or links, try not to provide them with any kind of information, especially the financial information. A genuine website, whether a social networking community or a financial organization, will only ask for username and password, and not confidential details. If they ask for, then there is surely something not going right way.
[su_box title=”About Ashesh Shah” style=”noise” box_color=”#336588″]
Ashesh Shah is Chairman & Managing Director and also a co-founder of Fusion Informatics Limited. Mr. Ashesh Shah holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing and Computer Application. He has an experience of 14 years in the sales and marketing of software products and IT services. He has previously worked with Sanghi Industries Limited in the capacity of Territory Manager. Currently responsible for Fusion Informatics’s overall business strategy and development – identifying growth areas and exploiting novel technologies to deliver improved services and applications. The strategy is under implementation and already bearing results. He is also in charge of corporate communication, brand image and public relations and also involved in new Mergers and Acquisitions for the company. Mr. Shah is responsible for overall project execution management at Fusion Informatics.[/su_box]
