Smartphones undoubtedly make our lives easier, but the convenience they offer could put our private information and at risk.
Remembering phone numbers is a thing of the past because the only number a majority of people know is their own–and perhaps another family member’s. This forces us to store their numbers on our phones and entices some of us to store more information in their profile.
But this is dangerous.
You should never store sensitive data on your phone, especially in your smartphone’s address book because the information stored is in plain text. In other words, it has no protection and could easily be read by hackers in more than one way. It is worth considering that phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses are sensitive information that may already be available on other social media websites, but it’s the private data which needs protection.
But what if you need to store private data?
If you find yourself thinking this while you read this post, know there are options available to you–much safer options. There are many apps out there that offer encrypted storage space, meaning that the information you keep in these apps is scrambled and can only be accessed by you.
You need a password to get into the app and, as additional security, a password to get into the file which you are trying to read. There are varying levels of security depending on the app you choose.
Make sure you have the right liability insurance in case hackers manage to gain access to your friends’ or clients’ sensitive information. Your personal insurance should be reviewed by your insurance agent. Contact Hoffman Brown Company in Sherman Oaks, California, they will assist with a policy review and provide recommendations.
