New research from ME Bank of 2000 Australian smartphone and tablet (mobile) users has revealed that nearly 50 per cent of people are failing to take simple measures to protect themselves.
The research revealed that mobile users are at great risk of falling for link fraud by clicking a link in an email or from within a text message. It seems that mobile users are more cavalier and less security conscious when making purchases online.
MoneySmart Senior Executive Leader Miles Larbey believes that it’s up to the mobile user to treat their device as they would their purse or wallet. The implementation of transaction authorisation through a text message is a simple way to beef up the security of your mobile experience.
Mobile users are also more likely to store sensitive data on their mobile devices. “If you store your credit card details in any websites for quick payments make sure the passwords that you have to get into those sites are strong and include both upper case, lower case and alphanumeric characters in the password,” said ME’s General Manager of Cyber Security, Samantha Macleod.
Several bad habits of Australian mobile users were revealed in the report, but one surprised and troubled me: a staggering 23 per cent of mobile users use public wifi networks to access internet banking. This is an easy way in which your device can be compromised and funds stolen. When transacting with your bank or purchasing goods on a mobile device, always make sure you use a secure private wifi network or your 4G data service.
Are your mobile habits cybersafe? Have you been the victim of cyber fraud? How were you scammed and how did you resolve the issue?
Read more at heraldsun.com.au
Read more at news.com.au
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