Secure Your mobile (2)

More ways to keep your mobile device safe online.

Secure Wi-fi connections
If you want to use wireless connections at home, make sure they’re encrypted.

Wi-fi enabled phones and PDAs support encryption. If you want to use them at home, make sure that your access point is set up securely. Go to your wireless router’s setup page and choose Security. The location of the WPA settings may vary from router to router. Choose TKIP if the option is available and opt for Pre-shared key (PSK) as the Authentication method. Select passphrase as the pre-shared key type, and then enter your passphrase. If possible, opt to only allow connections from WPA clients.

Back at your phone select Data Connections under Settings and opt to modify your Wireless LAN connection. Check that the SSID of your network is displayed, select it and choose Modify. For Network Authentication, choose WPA-PSK and use TPIK for Data Encryption. Enter your passphrase when prompted and confirm the change. You can now connect to your encrypted network using your phone in the usual way.
Make sure that you use the strongest encryption that your mobile device and wireless router can support.


Essential steps
Six simple ways to boost your mobile device’s security.


1
Use secure passwords to protect accounts and don’t save them on your device. You can make use of the secure password generator at www.grc.com/passwords.htm. Keep a record of them, but not with the mobile.


2
Most phones and PDAs are Bluetooth enabled. If you don’t use any Bluetooth accessories, disable Bluetooth completely. Make sure that your Bluetooth devices use authentication if you have them and don’t leave your phone in Discoverable mode.


3
More and more phones and PDAs can connect to wireless networks, which works out cheaper than other kinds of connection. Make sure that you use WPA encryption where supported if you want your phone to connect to your wireless access point.


4
Remember that a mobile browser can fall prey to the same problems as a desktop one. Launch Internet Explorer from the Start Menu and choose Options, General. Opt to clear cookies every so often or block them if you’re not going to use your phone with online retailers.


5
Also in Internet Explorer Options choose Memory. Here you can clear the history and other temporary internet files. Clearing these will prevent anyone else who gets access to your phone from following your internet trail.

6
If your mail server supports a secure SSL connection, make sure that your phone or PDA makes use of it. In your messaging options, edit your email account settings and ensure that Require SSL connection is ticked.