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Your guide to Mobile Security

It's Mobile Security Week, and Carphone Warehouse have teamed up with security expert David Rogers,
to help you stay safe while using your smartphone. Here are our mobile security dos and don'ts:

1. We can help you protect your phone - visit Carphone Warehouse and speak to an expert about what can be done to protect your data.

2. Make a note of your phone's International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, as you'll need this if it ever gets stolen. The number is what identifies your phone to the network and is located on the back of your phone underneath the battery.

3. Back up the data on your smartphone, from contacts to photos and music. Just like you would on your computer or tablet.

4. A remote lock and wipe service comes in really useful if your phone is ever stolen, as it helps you to retrieve or securely remove your data. Most mobiles are clever enough to run these applications.

5. Set a PIN and password for your voicemail as soon as possible, or have the service switched off entirely. Don't choose obvious PINS like 1234 or your date of birth.

36% of people would be most upset about losing their contact details, followed by personal details they have stored, like PIN numbers.
*Geek Squad Protect & Detect service is available from £2.99 per month for most Smartphones - to see the full list visit geeksquad.co.uk/smartphonesecurity. All these services (Firewall,
Spamfilter, Antivirus
and AntiSpyware) are
not applicable for Apple
Operating Systems.

1. Don't forget to install security software onto your phone. Geek Squad's Protect & Detect service* combats mobile specific threats and ensures that your personal data stays secure. On Android™ phones, there is also the option to install BullGuard mobile security and set up a lock, block and wipe service, to protect your data if your phone gets lost or stolen.

2. Never charge your phone at a remote battery charge point - such as those found in airports or at festivals - where you can pay to plug your phone into a battery for a set number of minutes. A lot of phones have a combined data/charge connection, so you could end up having data stolen without even realising it.

3. Don't store passwords on your phone. No matter how hidden you think they are, someone will work out your code

4. Don't be lured into clicking on an unknown link to a web page and be careful when scanning 2D barcodes. If it's not a reputable site or brand then think twice.

Location, location, location

Be aware of your location and surroundings when using your mobile. It's all too easy to lose sight of your phone for a second and before you know it, it's gone along with all your data and photos.

Be aware of Wi-Fi security

Don't connect to unsecured Wi-Fi networks, for example in a coffee shop or train station, unless you really have to look something up that doesn't require you to enter personal details or passwords. You can purchase a mobile broadband dongle from Carphone Warehouse and get easy, secure internet access on the move.

QR Codes

Quick Response, or QR, codes can be scanned by your smartphone. They give you access to product information or promotions online. Most of the time QR codes are perfectly safe to use, but If you scan a corrupt or fake QR code then you can leave your phone open to security attacks. Only scan codes that are provided by brands you recognise and trust, and don't scan any that look like they have been tampered with or stuck on over the top of packaging.

Websites

Don't be lured into clicking on an unknown link to a web page. A phone's screen is much smaller and it is often more difficult to see a full link to a website and verify what it says it is. Before you know it, your phone could have been infected with a virus.

Facebook links

If you receive messages or posts, accompanied by a link, on Facebook™ or Twitter™, stop and think before opening. Do you know the sender? If you do, is this something that they would send you? If you do click on the link, it is often too late once you realise that there is a problem.

Spam SMS

Never reply to spam messages you may receive over SMS or Bluetooth, even to text 'STOP'.

Permissions for Apps (applications)

Always think about what an application is supposed to be doing, where it came from and who made it. Simple internet searches can often verify the validity of an application if you suspect all is not well. Inspect the permissions that an application requests and ask yourself, does this application really need access to your phonebook? Does it really need to send SMS? If not, don't install it.

33% of smartphone owners access their email on their mobiles. Emails are important personal data that we need to protect.
Our research shows that 89% of people have installed security software on their laptop or PC. Only 9% have it installed on their mobile phones.
65% of mobile users don't have a password on their voicemail. You need to ensure that you set up PINS and passwords as soon as your voicemail is activated.