At a time when our smartphones are an extension of ourselves, mobile security has never been more important, but mobile threats continue to evolve at an alarming rate.
According to recent statistics, there were 7.78 million cyber attacks in Britain alone in the last 12 months, with reported losses of £91.2 million to London’s citizens and businesses in the six months to September last year.
It is believed that 53% of businesses are targeted at least once a month, and the average cost of the most disruptive breach for medium and large London businesses is £10,830.
Mobile devices are particularly vulnerable: 30% of known zero-day vulnerabilities target these platforms.
Phishing remains a major problem and is responsible for more than 80% of reported security incidents.
Additionally, an average of 24,000 malicious mobile apps are blocked on the Internet every day.
Given these sobering statistics, here are lesser-known strategies to improve your cell phone security, addressing specific threats.
Enable SIM card lock
Protection against threats: unauthorized access, identity theft
While most Londoners lock their screens, many overlook SIM card security.
Enabling a SIM PIN will prevent unauthorized access to your mobile account if your phone is stolen.
This extra layer of security can prevent attempts to intercept calls or messages, protecting you from identity theft and unauthorized use of your mobile services.
Use DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH)
Threat protection: DNS spoofing, malicious redirects, account takeovers
DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) is a valuable tool for securing your iGaming accounts by encrypting DNS queries, making it harder for cybercriminals to intercept or redirect your web traffic.
This feature protects against DNS spoofing, where hackers can redirect users to malicious websites.
Industries such as video games and iGaming, including platforms such as casinos not on gamstopare particularly vulnerable and are second only to the financial sector in terms of targeting.
For example, in 2023, 4% of all login attempts on gambling platforms were malicious account takeover attempts.
Many UK crypto casinos use SSL encryption and have various security measures in place to protect players’ data.
However, you still need to take extra steps to secure your own mobile device to ensure your accounts stay safe.
Enabling features like DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) can further improve your online security.
By combining platform security measures with personal precautions, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyber threats.
Disable smart lock features
Threat Protection: Unauthorized physical access
Smart Lock features, which keep your phone unlocked in certain locations or when connected to specific devices, can be risky in a city as densely populated as London.
Disabling these features will ensure that your phone remains locked in all situations, reducing the risk of unauthorized access if your device is lost or stolen from a ‘trusted’ location.
Use privacy screens
Threat Protection: Visual Hacking
In London’s busy public transport system, privacy screens are invaluable, and these screens limit the viewing angle of your screen, preventing visual hacking in crowded tube carriages or busy coffee shops.
This simple addition makes it difficult for others to see your screen from a side angle, protecting sensitive information from prying eyes.
Turn off Bluetooth discoverability
Threat protection: Bluetooth-based attacks
In a city where there are thousands of Bluetooth devices nearby, it is critical that your Bluetooth remains in undetectable mode when you are not actively pairing devices.
This precaution can protect you from Bluetooth-based attacks like BlueBorne, which allow hackers to take control of your device without your knowledge.
Use built-in security features
Threat protection: targeted cyber attacks
Many phones have advanced built-in security features that users often overlook. For example, iPhones have a ‘Lockdown Mode’ that provides extreme protection against targeted cyber attacks.
Android devices often have features like “Google Play Protect” that can scan apps for security threats.
Familiarize yourself with and enable these built-in protections, especially if you work in sensitive industries common in London, such as finance or technology.
Encrypt your backups
Protection against threats: data breaches, unauthorized access to backups
If you backup your phone to your computer, make sure those backups are encrypted.
This precaution prevents unauthorized access to your data if your computer is compromised.
Most modern smartphones offer encryption options for backups, adding an essential layer of protection to your personal data.
Use secure messaging apps
Threat protection: message interception, data privacy
For sensitive communications, opt for end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal or WhatsApp instead of standard text messages.
These apps provide significantly better protection against message interception and ensure that your conversations remain private.
Enable automatic app scanning
Protection against threats: malicious apps, Trojans
Many Android devices have a feature that can scan apps for security threats before and after installation.
Enabling this feature provides an extra layer of protection against malicious apps, which are a growing problem in the mobile threat landscape.
In 2023, more than 300,000 Android users downloaded banking Trojan apps from the Google Play Store.
Regularly check and revoke app permissions
Protection against threats: data leaks, privacy breaches
In June 2024, London suffered one of the most serious cyber attacks, targeting the healthcare sector.
Synnovis, a blood test management organization that works with the NHS, fell victim to a ransomware attack that had far-reaching consequences for London’s healthcare system.
Nearly 400GB of private information was stolen and later shared on the darknet, including patient names, dates of birth and NHS numbers.
Regularly review and revoke unnecessary permissions granted to apps. An app that once needed access to your camera or microphone may no longer need them.
This practice limits the chance of data leaks and protects your privacy.
