Thursday, July 19, 2012

How To Keep Your Blackberry Secure

By Ilechukwu Magnus


You may probably have been hearing it every day on the news: somebody's identity was stolen, that person has lost his handheld device, and hackers have found a new way to obtain data from the computer. Even those big name personalities aren't immune to this problems. Perhaps you can still remember when the John McCain campaign accidentally sold a Blackberry to Fox with all of that confidential campaign information, right? Or how Tom Cruise lost his Blackberry while promoting his movie in Canada?

With the news of all these problems, you can actually begin to wonder if there is really a way you can protect your Blackberry. There are certain steps you can take to ensure that your handheld device is safe.

The Best Way To Secure Your Blackberry

Think of your Blackberry as a Mini- Computer- If you haven't actually realized this, a blackberry is your mini-computer and it is important that you take note of this. You wouldn't attempt accessing your bank details and participating on other activities that require you key in your personal or financial data online with your computer if it is not protected with firewall programs, encryption programs, anti-virus and anti-malware programs, would you? No, you wouldn't. And you shouldn't on your Blackberry either. This smart phone is often the target of spyware, viruses, and malware, although many users don't realize it. Spyware is most often the biggest problem, intercepting emails, text messages, and even remotely turning on the smart phone so intruders can listen in on your conversations.

Don't Ignore Your Environment- Do you often watch your shoulders before signing into your email account or bank online? If you are like most individuals, the thought doesn't occur to you. While you may be neglecting this, you are seriously compromising your privacy. If possible, ensure that your business is always conducted in a private location away from prying eyes and always watch your shoulders before keying in your log-in details.

Device A Backup Plan- You have tried to the best of your knowledge but somehow you still misplace the Blackberry. You can't see where it is and yet you don't want anybody that will see it to have access to the vital information it contains. Don't worry, there are ways to keep your data secure. Certain software programs can be installed directly on the Blackberry, allowing you to remotely lock it or, if you feel the Blackberry is gone for good, erase all of the information on it. With these encryption software programs, you can even turn your Blackberry into another piece of hardware, instead of a device that contains sensitive corporate data.

Install Encryption- Often, when your emails and data are intercepted by spyware, it can easily be read by anyone. However, when you have a functioning encryption installed in your Blackberry, it will ensure that no other person can read any message that is coming of your device. This means that any information or data intercepted from your device will remain unreadable without the right encryption key.

Protecting your Blackberry is simple if you know what to do. It is important for you to take the proper steps, though. It is not wise to take chances with your personal or business data. Use anti-virus protection, firewalls, data encryption, and a little common sense to keep your private data private.




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