Mobile devices are seemingly everywhere. Many people carry them around all day. This makes them a valuable target for attacks.
The NSA published a document earlier this year in which it highlights best practices for mobile devices. It is a simple document, that divides suggestions into the labels avoid, disable, do, and don’t.
Some suggestions appear very basic for experienced users. Like, making sure that the operating system and apps are up to date, not opening attachments or links from untrusted sources, or not having sensitive conversations on personal devices..
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A few of the suggestions may be new advice, even for experienced users. Or, it may be known but not practiced.
Here are five takeaways that I found interesting
- You should reboot the device at least once a week.
- Do not have sensitive conversations in the vicinity of the mobile device.
- Use a protective case that “drowns the microphone” and block the camera when it is not used.
- Disable Bluetooth, Location, and Wi-Fi when it is not used. Never connect to public Wi-Fi networks.
- Use a protective case that “drowns the microphone”. Also block the camera when it is not in use.
Some of these make using mobile devices cumbersome and that is likely one of the main reasons why most mobile users are probably not restarting their device once a week or turning of Wi-Fi.
You can check out the full list of suggestions here.
What is your take on this? Do you restart your device regularly or follow some or all of the other suggestions? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
I’ll reread this after you correct the mistake of 3 and 5 being the same.
I reboot my devices everytime I update my apps which, I do manually about twice a month.
I also keep my devices in spots that block both cameras but I do not ‘drown’ the mic. I know they are listening though.
I do disable Bluetooth, Location, and Wi-Fi when it is not used. I do very rarely connect to public, but not open, Wi-Fi and always use a VPN when doing so.
I only use my phone for calls, texting, navigation, shared docs and calanders, music, and the occasional offline game.
I disable and/or replace as many google apps as possible and never use an “assistant”..
A VPN is pointless on a phone because…. https://www.ghacks.net/2022/10/15/mullvad-android-may-leak-information-when-connected-to-a-vpn/
See also: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/250529027