With the increasing use by employees in the workplace in BYOD, bring your own devices, businesses face increasing security threats.
Hackers are busy focusing on employees’ mobile devices as workers continuously check their social media at work. It’s particularly dangerous when employees use their own phones while performing their duties.
So when your employees are active on social media, this means your network’s access points aren’t limited to your workstations. Your exposure has doubled with new access points being outside your wired control.
Not to mention when employees lose their smartphones or have them stolen. Skyrocketing mobile malware threats amid widespread use of BYOD, bring your own devices, started in 2012 — $1.88 billion services market in 2013.
The skyrocketing security issues continued in 2025 with a global cybercrime assault on smartphones, according to a government task force, which includes the FBI. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), ic3.gov, continues to wave a big red flag.
Hackers are busy focusing on employees’ mobile devices.
See the 2025 warning from the FBI:
“The FBI warns of cyber criminals impersonating financial institutions to steal money or information in Account Takeover (ATO) fraud schemes. The cyber criminals target individuals, businesses, and organizations of varied sizes and across sectors. In ATO fraud, cyber criminals gain unauthorized access to the targeted online financial institution, payroll, or health savings account, with the goal of stealing money or information for personal gain. Since January 2025, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 5,100 complaints reporting ATO fraud, with losses exceeding $262 million.”
To avoid smartphone identity theft, use strong screen locks like biometrics, enable two-factor authentication, and secure your network connections by avoiding public WIFI or use a VPN.
You should also keep your software updated, install reputable security/antivirus software, and be cautious about what apps you install and links you click.
4 tips to secure your phone’s access:
1. Use a strong screen lock: Set a PIN, password, or use biometric options like fingerprint or facial recognition. Avoid simple PINs or patterns that can be seen on the screen.
2. Enable two-factor authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your accounts, requiring both a password and a verification code to log in.
3. Set up auto-lock: Configure your phone to lock automatically after a short period of inactivity.
4. Enable remote wipe and tracking: Use services like Android’s Find My Device or Apple’s Find My to track and remotely erase your phone if it’s lost or stolen, warns TechRadar.
4 tips to secure your network and browsing:
1. Avoid public WIFI: Public networks are often unsecured and can make you vulnerable to hackers.
2. Use a VPN: If you must use public WIFi, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt your internet traffic.
3. Look for “https”: When entering personal information on a web site, ensure the address starts with “https://” to confirm the site is secure, according to Equifax.
4. Be wary of links: Don’t click on suspicious links in emails or texts, even from people you know, as they could be phishing attempts, notes Equifax.
5 tips to protect your apps and data:
1. Keep software updated: Install all system and app updates as soon as they are released to patch security vulnerabilities.
2. Use strong, unique passwords: Create complex passwords for your phone and all accounts. A password manager can help create and store them securely.
3. Install security software: Use reputable antivirus and anti-malware software, especially on the Android operating system.
4. Review app permissions: Be cautious about what permissions you grant to apps. Only download apps from trusted sources and check reviews, says the Identity Theft Resource Center.
5. Enable encryption: Most smartphones have a built-in encryption option to protect your data if the phone is lost or stolen.
Good luck!
From the Coach’s Corner, here are related resources:
Who Profits from Android’s Security Issues? Not Users. — A government task force, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has issued a dire warning about malware. In particular, it’s a threat to Android users.
Security — Cyber Criminals Chew up Apple Products, too — For years in terms of security, Windows has been considered inferior to Macs. But no longer thanks to malware security epidemics.
Skyrocketing Cybercrime Calls for 8 Strategies to Manage 3rd Party Risks — You and your business face big risks for third-party data breaches. Here’s why and what you can do.
Tips to Prevent Hacking of Your Bluetooth — Bluetooth technology, of course, allows you freedom when talking on your cell phone. But you’ll lose other freedoms if you don’t prevent scammers from exploiting your system via a trend called “bluebugging.”
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