So much of our lives these days is on our phones, and hackers are always developing new ways to access your information through your mobile devices. Ballad Health utilizes multi-factor authentication as an important tool to protect personal devices from hacking.
Using MFA wherever possible is the most effective step you can take to protect your devices and accounts.
Here are some other quick tips to help safeguard your device, yourself and others.
Wi-Fi
- Don’t allow your device to auto-join unfamiliar networks.
- Always turn off Wi-Fi when you aren’t using it or don’t need it.
- Never send sensitive information over Wi-Fi unless you’re absolutely sure it’s a secure network.
Apps
- Only use apps available in your device’s official store — NEVER download from a browser.
- Be wary of apps from unknown developers or those with limited or bad reviews.
- Delete apps if they’re no longer supported by your store.
- Keep all apps updated to ensure they have the latest security.
- Don’t grant administrator or excessive privileges to apps unless you truly trust them.
- Prevent apps from excessive privileges such as recording your voice, controlling your camera, etc., when possible.
Browser
- Watch out for ads, giveaways and contests that seem too good to be true.
- Pay close attention to URLs.
- Never save your login information when you’re using a web browser.
Bluetooth
- Disable automatic Bluetooth pairing.
- Turn Bluetooth off when you don’t need it.
Smishing (phishing via SMS)
- Don’t trust messages that attempt to get you to reveal any personal information.
- Beware of similar tactics in platforms like What’s App, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, etc.
- Treat messages the same way you would treat email – don’t click unfamiliar links.
