4 Ways To Keep Your Blackberry Secure | The Communication Blog

Thursday, June 14, 2012

4 Ways To Keep Your Blackberry Secure

By Ilechukwu Magnus


You hear about it on the news every other day: this person's identity was stolen, that person's handheld device was lost, and hackers have found a new way to steal computer data. Even those big name personalities aren't immune to this problems. Can you still recall when the John McCain campaign accidentally sold a Blackberry to Fox with all that confidential campaign information? Or how about when Tom Cruise's Blackberry went missing while he was promoting his movie in Canada?

With the news of all these problems, you can actually begin to wonder if there is really a way you can protect your Blackberry. There are certain steps you can take to ensure that your handheld device is safe.

Protecting Your Blackberry

Think of your Blackberry as a Mini- Computer- If you haven't actually realized this, a blackberry is your mini-computer and it is important that you take note of this. You wouldn't attempt accessing your bank details and participating on other activities that require you key in your personal or financial data online with your computer if it is not protected with firewall programs, encryption programs, anti-virus and anti-malware programs, would you? No, you wouldn't. And you shouldn't on your Blackberry either. This smart phone is often the target of spyware, viruses, and malware, although many users don't realize it. Spyware is most often the biggest problem, intercepting emails, text messages, and even remotely turning on the smart phone so intruders can listen in on your conversations.

Don't Ignore Your Environment- Do you often watch your shoulders before signing into your email account or bank online? If you are like most individuals, the thought doesn't occur to you. While you may be neglecting this, you are seriously compromising your privacy. If possible, ensure that your business is always conducted in a private location away from prying eyes and always watch your shoulders before keying in your log-in details.

Always Have A Backup Plan- You've tried your best, but somehow you've managed to misplace your Blackberry. You can't find it, and you don't want vital information to be accessible to anyone who might pick it up. Don't worry, there are ways to keep your data secure. There is a security program that you can install in the Blackberry which will allow you to remotely lock the phone or better still wipe the information inside it. Such encryption software program will also allow you to turn the phone into a plain hardware device.

Install Encryption- Often, when your emails and data are intercepted by spyware, it can easily be read by anyone. However, if you have data encryption, your information will remain safe, no matter what unscrupulous malware tries to attack your Blackberry. This means that any information or data intercepted from your device will remain unreadable without the right encryption key.

Protecting your Blackberry is simple if you know what to do. It is important for you to take the proper steps, though. It is not wise to take chances with your personal or business data. Use anti-virus protection, firewalls, data encryption, and a little common sense to keep your private data private.




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