5 Keys to Protect Your Mobile Phone from Undercover Journalists

The era of digitalization has brought a revolution in terms of connectivity. The emergence of technology has made the world a smaller place. To ensure better communication, social media platforms have been introduced. They have dominated the world of communication, as more and more of our personal lives could be now linked to these technical tools. However, this has also brought a few cons pertaining to the privacy of our personal data. Many big corporations collect an immense amount of data from us.

Digital footprints in the form of cookies form a part of traces that cyberpunks look to steal. Usually, entrepreneurs, business class, Journalists, and Politicians are prone to cyber attacks due to their profession. They are kept under attempted Surveillance to know the confidential matters of their next case or project. To avoid their data from being exposed, journalists maintain proper cyber hygiene which allows them to secure their privacy and reduce their vulnerability. There are several aspects that we can learn from them and maintain healthy cyber hygiene.

Discussed below are some key tips that could help you safeguard your privacy.

Encrypt your Mobile Device Communication

When you surf on the web through your phone, several cyberpunks and malicious third parties are on the lookout for unencrypted networks. Connecting to unencrypted networks such as Public WiFis allows easy access to cyberpunks looking to steal data. It could expose personal information to being misused and invade your privacy.

To avoid such situations, using a VPN while surfing on unencrypted networks secures your privacy. The VPN provides an alternate encrypted path to your data packets. It keeps your IP address from being exposed to your ISP or any other third parties.

Build Strong Passwords

Data security lies in how well you secure your device. The most common way to commit data breaches is weak passwords. The name of your pet or your birthdate does not account for strong passwords. These passwords could be easily broken through even by amateur hackers. It eventually puts your data at risk of exposure and misuse by malicious groups. A strong password must have a unique combination of characters.

You could also use the password manager app to get suggestions for strong passwords. These applications also keep a record of passwords to all your accounts. This way you could manage your passwords better.

Timely Software Updates

The applications and software programs that you use have quite many permissions to access your data. Cyberpunks usually target the programs with the least security measures to breach. As the malware programs get upgraded, they find some flaws in these programs. To avoid such breaches, the software developers roll out regular updates to patch the loopholes in existing versions at regular intervals. It helps protect your privacy.

A timely update may also provide additional features alongside securing your system. You can also use the automatic update option to update your software on time.

Beware of Phishing Scams

When you surf on the web, several sites collect your information which is then used to send you promotional emails. Phishing is the practice of embedding malware in emails, text messages, and other such mediums in the form of links. Once you open these emails, the malware could easily access your system by its program-based breaching. It puts your sensitive information at risk of being deleted, misused, and altered.

To avoid such instances, keeping a spam email detecting system helps. Further, a disposable email for work purposes only could be another solution. Proper practice and caution could help avoid instances of data fraudulent and keep your data secure.

Create secure backups

The 21st era is the era of technological advancements. Cybercriminals could easily breach through your system, modify or delete personal data. Further, malware of various types is made that could wipe the entire memory. As a result, this could cause disruption to personal as well as professional activities. To avoid such instances, a well-known way is to securely back up your data.

There are several tools available that could backup your data securely to the cloud or local vault as needed. It could enable your data from being completely lost and thus safeguard against financial losses and reputational dishonor.

Conclusion

The 21st era has revolutionized the way of thinking. Alongside technological advancements, there have been several on the rise effects that lead to cybercrimes. Phishing scams, data scams, hacking have become a common occurrence in these times. To avoid such instances, it becomes essential to be consciously aware of the data safety practices. Following a strong password and secure backup practice helps avoid unnecessary complications. Further, the use of VPN allows you to stay away from the prying eyes of malicious organizations looking to track your data through digital footprints. By following these few cybersecurity measures properly, your data is bound to remain intact and unharmed.