{"id":73657,"date":"2016-04-06T07:09:40","date_gmt":"2016-04-06T11:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=73657"},"modified":"2016-04-06T07:09:40","modified_gmt":"2016-04-06T11:09:40","slug":"protect-data-avoid-hacked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2016\/04\/06\/protect-data-avoid-hacked\/","title":{"rendered":"How to protect your data and avoid being hacked"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"(Photo<\/a>
(Photo by Lea Latumahina<\/a>\/Flickr)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NEW YORK \u2013 The government hack of an iPhone used by a San Bernardino killer serves as a reminder that phones and other electronic devices aren\u2019t impenetrable vaults.<\/p>\n

While most people aren\u2019t targets of the NSA, FBI or a foreign government, hackers are looking to steal the financial and personal information of ordinary people. Your phone stores more than just selfies. Your email account on the phone, for instance, is a gateway to resetting banking and other sensitive passwords.<\/p>\n

Like washing your hands and brushing your teeth, a little \u201ccyber hygiene\u201d can go a long way toward preventing disaster.<\/p>\n

Lock your phone with a passcode<\/strong><\/p>\n

Failing to do so is like leaving your front door unlocked.<\/p>\n

A four-digit passcode \u2013 and an accompanying self-destruct feature that might wipe a phone\u2019s data after too many wrong guesses \u2013 stumped the FBI for weeks and forced them to bring in outside help. Using six digits makes a passcode 100 times harder to guess. And if you want to make it even harder, you can add letters and other characters to further increase the number of possible combinations. These are options on both iPhones and Android.<\/p>\n

The iPhone\u2019s self-destruct feature is something you must turn on in the settings, under Touch ID & Passcode. Do so, and the phone wipes itself clean after 10 failed attempts. But the 10 attempts apply to your guesses, too, if you forget your passcode, or if your kids start randomly punching in numbers. Android has a similar feature.<\/p>\n

Both systems will also introduce waiting periods after several wrong guesses to make it tough to try all combos.<\/p>\n

Biometrics, such as fingerprint scanners, can act as a shortcut and make complex passcodes less of a pain.<\/p>\n

Use encryption<\/strong><\/p>\n

Much to the FBI\u2019s displeasure, iPhones running at least iOS 8 offer full-disk encryption by default. That means that the information stored on the phone can\u2019t be extracted \u2013 by authorities or by hackers \u2013 and read on another computer. If the phone isn\u2019t unlocked first, any information obtained would be scrambled and unreadable.<\/p>\n

With Android, however, you typically have to turn that on in the settings. Google\u2019s policy requires many phones with the latest version of Android, including its own Nexus phones, to offer encryption by default. But, according to Google, only 2.3 percent of active Android devices currently are running that version.<\/p>\n

Set up device finders<\/strong><\/p>\n

Find My iPhone isn’t just for finding your phone in the couch cushions.<\/p>\n

If your device disappears, you can put it in Lost Mode. That locks your screen with a passcode, if it isn\u2019t already, and lets you display a custom message with a phone number to help you get it back.<\/p>\n

The app comes with iPhones, but you need to set it up before you lose your phone. Look for the Find iPhone app in the Extras folder.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Activation Lock makes it harder for thieves to sell your device. The phone becomes unusable \u2013 it can\u2019t be reactivated \u2013 without knowing its Apple ID. The feature kicks in automatically on phones running at least iOS 7.<\/p>\n

If all else fails, you can remotely wipe the phone\u2019s data. While your information will be lost, at least it won\u2019t end up in the hands of a nefarious person.<\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t anything comparable built into Android phones, but Google\u2019s Android Device Manager app, along with a handful of others made by third parties, can be downloaded for free from the Google Play app store.<\/p>\n

Back up your phone<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you do have to remotely wipe the phone\u2019s data, it\u2019s comforting to know that you won’t lose all your photos and other important data. It\u2019s helpful, too, if your toddler dunks your phone in a glass of water.<\/p>\n

As mentioned before, apps such as Find My iPhone and Android Device Manager will allow you to do this, provided you set them up ahead of time.<\/p>\n

Keep your software up to date<\/strong><\/p>\n

Software updates often contain fixes to known flaws that might give hackers a way into your device.<\/p>\n

On iPhones, Apple prompts you to get the update.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s more complicated with Android because updates need to go through various phone manufacturers and wireless carriers first. But do install updates when asked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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