Personal security is on everyone's mind these days, and there's likely no single device that holds more of your information than your mobile phone. Today, British tabloid The News of the Worldannounced that Sunday's paper would be its last as a result of a lengthy investigation into illegal phone-hacking methods employed by its reporters. In this case, the hackers used simple techniques to gain access to the inboxes of newsworthy citizens — such as members of the Royal Family to a teenaged murder victim — in order to search for potential scoops. Would your phone be protected from a potential intrusion?
You may not be a hot shot executive or a well known politician, but should you become the targetof an insidious hacking attempt, your mobile device will likely be a top priority. Is your phone — and the sensitive information in your voicemail — protected from unwanted intruders? Here are a few simple precautions you can take that will go a long way to giving you peace of mind.
Change your default passcodeWhen calling from an outside line, you can check the voice mailbox of most mobile phones simply by pressing "0" or "#" when the recorded greeting begins playing. This means that even if you remain in possession of your phone the entire time, your voicemail could still potentially be accessed by an anonymous party.
When you first set up a new voicemail account — whenever you get a new phone or switch service providers — your voicemail password almost always defaults to a simple set of digits. This code can range from hacker-friendly combinations like "1111" and "1234" to the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. Whatever the case, this is when you inbox is the most vulnerable, as anyone attempting to access your account without your knowledge will certainly try codes like these before all others.
The best thing you can do is change your code before you even leave the store. When getting your new handset or setting up a new account at a carrier location, make sure that you take the time to learn how to change your passcode. This is a service that the store associate will be happy to assist you with, as making sure your account is secure makes them look good as well.
You may not be a hot shot executive or a well known politician, but should you become the targetof an insidious hacking attempt, your mobile device will likely be a top priority. Is your phone — and the sensitive information in your voicemail — protected from unwanted intruders? Here are a few simple precautions you can take that will go a long way to giving you peace of mind.
Change your default passcodeWhen calling from an outside line, you can check the voice mailbox of most mobile phones simply by pressing "0" or "#" when the recorded greeting begins playing. This means that even if you remain in possession of your phone the entire time, your voicemail could still potentially be accessed by an anonymous party.
When you first set up a new voicemail account — whenever you get a new phone or switch service providers — your voicemail password almost always defaults to a simple set of digits. This code can range from hacker-friendly combinations like "1111" and "1234" to the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. Whatever the case, this is when you inbox is the most vulnerable, as anyone attempting to access your account without your knowledge will certainly try codes like these before all others.
The best thing you can do is change your code before you even leave the store. When getting your new handset or setting up a new account at a carrier location, make sure that you take the time to learn how to change your passcode. This is a service that the store associate will be happy to assist you with, as making sure your account is secure makes them look good as well.
more after the break.....
