Computer, tablet, mobile vulnerabilities & infections

We use our computing/mobile devices to do almost everything these days. Whether it be banking, shopping or just paying the bills so it’s important that you keep your personal data safe.

That’s why we’ve put together this handy article to provide you with some tips to help keep your computer/device and personal information safe!

Stay informed

We recommend that you sign up for the Stay Smart Online service managed by the Australian Government. It has heaps of up to date info, tips and alerts. Take a look at the website, sign up and get the latest info of security issues sent to you.

Using public networks

Wi-Fi

Always act cautiously when connecting to public Wi-Fi, as attackers might be able to listen in on your communications in order to steal personal information such as usernames & passwords.

Bluetooth

To be infected via Bluetooth you must be within reach with your device in discovery mode and have accepted a transfer of a file. Again, act cautiously with unfamiliar Bluetooth connections as they could pose a threat to your personal data.

How could my device get infected?

There are many ways our phones may become infected with the most common being:

Implied Permission

The infection relies on the user to accept permissions or the installation of an application to gain access to your mobile phone. Attackers will try and lure you in by offering attractive prizes or free applications that actually contain infected data.

Common Integration

This form of infection relies on everyday behaviours such as opening an email, MMS or clicking on an unsecured hyperlink. Watch out for phone numbers, links or emails you’re not familiar with and check that you know the sender of the message before accepting any downloads or clicking a link within.

What to look out for

There are a few signs that could imply that your tablet, laptop, computer or phone may have been subject to an attack

Battery

As most infections are designed to run additional tasks in the background, a possible sign of infection by malware could be rapid loss of battery life on your Mobile, Laptop or Tablet for no apparent reason.

Memory Usage

Like battery consumption, memory usage is also affected by the hidden tasks being performed. If you notice a particular application using an abnormal amount of memory to run you could flag it as suspicious

Data Usage

Most applications reply on the internet to display information and stay up to date. Applications using large amounts of bandwidth could be sign that your phone/tablet or computer has been communicating a lot of information or attempting to connect to other devices around you.

To learn more about internet security, see Protect your device from malicious software.