Secure your mobile phone

mThe features that make your phone ‘smart’ also make it susceptible to viruses and malicious software. If your phone isn’t secure and it is lost or stolen, your personal information including passwords, banking details, emails and photos could be used to access your money or to steal your identity.

Mobile phones are becoming more like mobile computers. They allow you to access the internet and email, download applications and games and store personal contacts, photos and information. You need to secure your phone in order to protect this information.

 

Top tips

  • Turn on your security features. All phones have security settings so familiarise yourself with them and turn them on.
  • Put a PIN on your phone and a different one on your SIM card. Don’t rely on the default factory settings. This will stop thieves getting access to your phone or using the SIM in another phone to make calls.
  • Encrypt your data. Some phones allow you to encrypt your data using third-party software. Encryption secures your data if your phone is compromised.
  • Install security software from a reputable provider. Anti-virus and firewall software is available for some mobile phone operating systems.
  • Check for updates to your phones operating system regularly. Install them as soon as they are available.
  • Be smart with WiFi. When connecting to the internet using WiFi, try to use an encrypted network that requires a password.
  • Back up your data regularly. Set up your phone so that it backs up your data when you sync it or back it up to a separate memory card.
  • If you decide to recycle your phone, make sure you delete all your personal information first. Most phones have an option to reset to factory settings.

On this page

  • Secure your phone
  • Secure your information
  • Plan ahead
  • Be smart about how and where you use your phone
  • Symptoms of malicious software infection

Fact sheets and resources

acma_websiteThe Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) have developed a number of factsheets on  Phone safety, privacy and security including a Mobile phone security factsheet.

cybersmart_websiteThe ACMA cybersmart website includes a section on mobile phone scams and phone security.


OPC_WebsiteThe Office of the Privacy Commissioner has useful resources on privacy and security of your mobile phone.

Secure your phone

  • Turn on your security features. All phones have security settings so familiarise yourself with them and turn them on.
  • Many mobile phones allow users to set a password or Personal Identification Number (PIN) that must be entered to use the phone. Passwords and PINs make it more difficult for thieves to steal your personal information if your phone is lost or stolen.  
  • Put a PIN on your SIM card as well as your phone so that thieves can’t steal your phone credit or run up your phone bill.
  • Install security software from a reputable provider. Anti-virus and firewall software is available for some mobile phone operating systems. Check with your phone manufacturer for recommendations.
  • Check for updates to your phones operating system regularly. Install them as soon as they are available—these updates contain changes that will make your phone more secure.
  • Bluetooth lets you wirelessly connect to devices and transfer information over short distances. For Bluetooth to work, devices need to see each other and then connect. It is best to leave your phone in undiscoverable mode (hidden) so that it is only visible when you specifically need other people or devices to see it. This means that hackers cannot see your phone and they cannot connect to it unless they already have your Bluetooth address. When connecting using Bluetooth, do so in private, uncrowded areas only.

Secure your information

  • Encrypt your data. Some phones allow you to encrypt the data stored on your phone or memory cards through the use of third-party encryption products. Encryption secures your data if your phone is compromised.
  • Back up your data regularly. Set up your phone so that it backs up all your data each time you synchronise with a computer. Alternatively, backup your device to a memory card regularly and keep it in a safe place.
  • Don’t save passwords or PINs as contacts on your phone unless you encrypt them properly. With all the PINs and passwords we have to remember, it is tempting to save them in your phone as fake contacts in case you forget them.

Plan ahead

  • Note down the details of your phone in case of theft. Every phone has a unique International Mobile Equipment number (IEME). Most phones allow you to find out your own by keying in *#06#. Knowing this number will help your network provider to stop your phone being used if it is stolen.
  • If you lose your phone or it is stolen, report it to your network operator immediately so it can be disabled. If you find it again you can easily re-enable the phone.

Be smart about how and where you use your phone

  • Turn Bluetooth off when you aren’t using it. Bluetooth lets you wirelessly connect to devices and transfer information over short distances. For Bluetooth to work, devices need to see each other and then connect. It is best to leave bluetooth off until you are using it or put your phone in undiscoverable mode (hidden) so that it is only visible when you specifically need other people or devices to see it. This means that hackers cannot see your mobile phone and they cannot connect to it unless they already have your Bluetooth address. When connecting using Bluetooth, do so in private, uncrowded areas only.
  • Stick with reputable sites & applications when downloading applications from the Web. Many mobile phones include internet browsers that let you surf the web and download content to the phone. Do not download content and particularly applications from unknown or unreliable sources. They could contain malicious software. Use the application store or website of your mobile phone operating system or manufacturer to be safe.
  • Be smart with WiFi. When connecting to the internet using WiFi, try to use an encrypted network that requires a password. Read our tips for using public wireless networks.
  • Turn GPS off when not using it. While GPS can provide great benefits in finding out where you need to go, it can also be used by others to see where you or your phone is located. Turn off GPS when not using it.
  • Log out of websites when you are finished. It can be tempting to stay logged into a website to save time or so the site can remember your password. It is best not to do this because if your phone is stolen or lost, a user can access your account.
  • Think before you click. Don't open multimedia messages (MMS) or attachments in emails, or click on links in emails and SMS messages unless you are expecting them and they are from a trusted source. They could contain malicious software or take you to a malicious website.
  • Encrypt your transmissions. Anything you send that is not encrypted can be monitored by the owner of the network.

Symptoms of malicious software infection

Your phone may have been infected with malicious software if any of the following things have happened:

  • there is a sudden large increase in your phone bill with no clear reason
  • your phone has emails and messages in the sent folder that you did not send, or
  • the user interface has changed without you taking any action to change it.

Contact your phone manufacturer for instructions on how to remove the malicious software.