The mobile devices they are clear target of hackers. We use them to surf the Internet, be in contact with friends and family, make purchases ... This means that we must at all times know how they can attack us and, most importantly, what to do to be protected. We are going to talk about all this in this article. We will give some advice for keep security protected at all times.

How can they attack your mobile

To be properly protected it is important to know how they can attack us. So we are going to explain the main techniques They can use cybercriminals to strain malware, steal passwords, or simply make the system start to go wrong, with constant problems, or even leave us offline.

Social engineering

Something very common is social engineering. In this case they are going to use some strategy to make the victim fall into the trap. They usually use bait, which can be an alarming message, for example, for us to click, download something, or send some kind of personal information to the attacker.

A clear example of social engineering is a Phishing attack. The cybercriminal is going to send an email or SMS and is going to impersonate a legitimate company. It will ask us to do something under some pretext, such as an alleged failure in our account or a problem. But by clicking on that link you send us, we are actually entering a fake page, controlled by the attackers. This will allow our passwords or personal data to be stolen.

They can also use social engineering to steal personal information through various methods, such as using social media or even messaging programs like WhatsApp. In this case, what they are looking for is to talk to us, ask us for certain information and for this they will pose as a legitimate user, without bad intentions. Our data can be used to launch other attacks.

Fake programs

Of course, another common method is through fake programs. And here we must mention that there is a great variety, as well as different problems that we can suffer. This can happen simply by installing an application, but also by encountering an alleged update that will make something better.

The first thing is that when installing that program We may be adding software that will steal personal data and compromise privacy. But it could also be a program that won't even work and is actually malware, such as ransomware, and encrypting files.

A common type of fake programs that affect mobile is what is known as chargeware. Apparently they are harmless, free applications, but we are actually going to pay a subscription. You are going to enroll us on a platform and we are going to pay, without realizing it, an economic amount.

Vulnerabilities

Mobiles can have very varied failures. Vulnerabilities may appear that leave a door open for attackers to steal data or in any way compromise our privacy. This can appear both on the system itself, as it would be on Android or iOS, but also in some application that we have installed.

Those security flaws sometimes they allow malware to enter easily. An attacker could create a back door and have access to do whatever he wants basically, as if he were physically in front of the mobile. You can install dangerous applications or steal personal data.

Dangerous Wi-Fi networks

By connecting to one public Wi-Fi network that may be dangerous, our mobile could also be attacked. A hacker would have the ability to spy on us, to know what we are doing when we enter an unencrypted website. Basically the information we are sending could be leaked.

These dangerous Wi-Fi networks can be in shopping centers, libraries, airports ... We can find them anywhere public, since an attacker could create them with the aim of stealing personal data or infecting the phone.

What to do to keep it safe

After explaining how they can attack us, let's give some essential advice to prevent them from hacking the mobile. The goal is to improve security as much as possible, avoid malware, and also not make mistakes that could weigh down our privacy when browsing the network.

Have it updated

Something fundamental is having a mobile correctly updated. This will help us correct possible vulnerabilities that they can use. We have seen that it is one of the ways that cybercriminals have to exploit failures and make our personal data leak or even install software without our consent.

You should apply this regardless of whether you are using Android, iOS or any other operating system. In addition, it is also convenient to have the applications updated correctly. Sometimes we leave them installed without updating and they can have failures that are the cause of many security problems.

Use only official applications

Another important recommendation is to always use official programs. To install them, it is best to go to legitimate application stores, such as Google Play. There you will find software that has been verified and you will have less risk of attack. Another alternative is to go directly to the web pages of those programs.

But you should not only take this into account when installing the applications, but also when installing updates. Sometimes we can find messages that appear when browsing and that indicate that there is an error and we must update the system, the browser or any application. This is a strategy that attackers use to install fake software. You should always update from reliable sources.

Disconnect Bluetooth

Some attacks on mobiles come through the Bluetooth. For example, one of the most common is Bluebugging, which takes advantage of failures in this technology to attack. Another is Bluejacking, who can send annoying messages. If you always leave the Bluetooth on you will be exposed to very varied attacks.

The ideal to be protected and not suffer attacks of this type is to disconnect it as long as you are not going to use it. You will save battery and also improve safety. When you need to connect something, just enable the Bluetoot and you're done. It is a simple tip to carry out, but very useful.

Common sense

If there is something important to prevent them from hacking the mobile it is common sense. In most attacks the cybercriminal needs us to commit some error. For example, that we click on a link, download an attached file that arrives to us by e-mail or that we interact with an attacker.

It is best to always be alert, not trust any message or email that comes to us, not download files without checking the source or not interact with possible bots on social networks. It is also essential not to expose more information than necessary, such as our e-mail account or telephone number in open forums.

Constant review

One more tip is to have a constant review. Our mobile can be safe and protected today, but still in a few days or weeks it is not. It is important to check whenever we have everything updated, protected and that we are not making any mistakes that can make it easier for a hacker to work.

Therefore, a periodic review, see that everything goes well from time to time, It will help to make sure that everything is going as it should and that our personal information is going to be protected and we will have no problems.

Programs to improve security

As you can see, so far we have not talked about security programs to protect the mobile. There are some options that you should keep in mind and that we will detail below. This will allow you to analyze files or block possible connections that may become a problem.

Antivirus

The first option is to have a good antivirus. This type of application will help detect malicious software that enters the mobile. For example, if you mistakenly download a document that arrives by mail, WhatsApp or any page. You will constantly perform an analysis to find any threats and launch a notice.

You will see many options, both free and paid, to protect your mobile. Some options like Avast or Bitdefender they are very useful and work well. Of course, always download them from official sources and make sure that you are installing a guarantee program and it will really help you.

Firewall

Another type of program that you can use to protect your mobile is a firewall or firewall. It is an application that will block connections that are unsafe and can pose a threat to the device. There are also both free and paid and it is always a good choice of which one to use.

In addition, a firewall is very useful to save data. If you have a limited rate and it is running out, you can configure it to only allow you to connect to certain applications of your choice, such as WhatsApp or mail. This way you will prevent me from updating the system or using some programs that may consume more.

VPN

Without a doubt, another very useful program to prevent mobile hacking is a VPN. What this type of tool does is encrypt the connection. If you connect to a public Wi-Fi network, the data will be protected and will not leak. It is essential if you are going to make a payment or any transaction that may be sensitive.

Our advice in this case is to avoid those that are free. They do not usually work well and can also be a danger. Some programs like NordVPN or ExpressVPN They work quite well and will help you navigate the network more safely, without exposing personal information.

In short, by following these tips you will avoid hacking your mobile. The objective is to improve security to the maximum and protect your personal data at all times. Avoid making mistakes, use security programs and always have everything updated. This will help protect your devices.