While the holidays should be all about relaxing, for some staff who choose to take extended time off work – or those of us with key projects on the go – it may also mean needing to check in on work emails remotely every now and then.
While devices such as mobile phones and tablets make this easy, be they company owned or for personal use, they also pose risk to your business’ security. Here are some tips from the team at Aura Information Security on how to keep your device, and your data, secure:
- Ensure your mobile or tablet is PIN or password enabled and configure it to lock if idle for five minutes (or less).
- Lock the device when not in use.
- Keep the OS and applications up to date. Many updates fix common security issues.
- Back up your device regularly.
- When connecting to work email, only view attachments, don’t download them to the device.
- Only install applications from secure locations, i.e. Apple’s AppStore or Google Play.
- Pay attention to what permissions you grant to each app, e.g. location data, access to contacts, photos, camera etc.
- Remove apps you don’t use. The fewer you have the lower the risk.
- If you suspect your Apple ID or Google Play password has been compromised, change it immediately.
- Install software to track your device’s location and enable remote locking and/or wiping.
- Never use a jail broken or rooted device. They are more susceptible to security issues.
- Connect only to known secure Wi-Fi connections. Be suspicious of free Wi-Fi, especially in public places.
- Never reply to or follow links from unsolicited or suspicious text messages, especially from people you don’t know.
