Mobile Security: essential tips for your protection

SMS phishing attacks (smishing)

You’ve probably heard of, or perhaps even received, a text message urging you to tap a link if you want to continue using your bank account. The reason given in the message can vary, but it usually pushes you to act quickly: when we are rushed, we judge the situation less clearly.

More often than not, this is an attempt to steal your sensitive information, such as passwords or payment card details.

Public and fake Wi-Fi networks

Most websites and apps encrypt your data, so a public Wi-Fi network in a café or an airport is usually not dangerous in itself, but it’s hard to tell a fake network from a real one. The risk comes when scammers set up a fake network with the same or a similar name as the real one. If you connect to it, you may be sent to a fake login page and give away your details.

Weak passwords

Given enough time, any password can be cracked, but the longer and more unusual it is, the harder that becomes. The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a government agency that sets digital security standards, recommends passwords of at least 15 characters. Length matters most, so a phrase of several words is a good option. Special characters are not essential unless a website requires them.

Malicious apps

Such apps can get onto your device without you knowing. They can look like real apps but silently collect your data, damage or delete your files, and even take control of basic functions on your device.

Jailbreaking (for iPhone) and rooting (for Android)

These are ways to remove the restrictions set by the phone’s manufacturer.

They let you delete pre-installed apps, download apps from sources the manufacturer does not recognise, and change how the screen and menus look. But they also make your phone more vulnerable, and hackers can reach your personal data more easily.

QR code scams (quishing)

Scammers may send you a QR code in a message or stick a fake one over a real code, for example on a poster or a payment machine. That code then leads to a fake website.

A QR code does not show which website will open, and on a phone screen the address is easy to miss. A fake site can look like any regular webpage, but its goal is to trick you into sharing your login or payment card details.

Follow these tips to protect your phone:

Avoid unknown links
Be careful with links in messages you did not expect, even if the sender looks familiar: scammers can pose as your bank or another company.

Check the wording and the sender
Look for grammatical errors and an unusual sender email address or phone number. These often give scam messages away.

Do not reply to suspicious messages – report them
If you get an email, SMS, or WhatsApp message asking for private information or containing a suspicious link, do not respond. Block the sender and, if the message claims to be from your bank or payment provider, report it to them. If a message claims to be from Paysera, report it to our Client Support.

Check the address after scanning a QR code
Before opening the link, read the address your phone camera shows and make sure it matches the company’s official website. In public places, check that no sticker with a different code has been placed over the real QR code. Do not scan QR codes from messages or emails you did not expect.

Beware of unbelievable offers
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Change a password when you suspect a leak
You do not need to change passwords on a schedule – NIST does not recommend it either. Change one immediately if you suspect that someone else knows it.

Do not reuse passwords
If one password leaks, scammers can get into every account where you use it.

Use two-factor authentication
Turn on two-factor authentication wherever you can: then a login or payment has to be confirmed not only with your password but also with a second step. With Paysera, you confirm logins and online card payments in the Paysera Super App.

Limit personal information on social media
Avoid sharing details like your personal ID number, birthdate, place of birth, favourite sports, and pet names. Scammers can use such details to guess the answers to security questions or to impersonate you.

Lock your phone screen
Set a screen lock – a PIN, password, fingerprint, or face recognition. You can also set your phone to reset to factory settings, erasing all data, after several incorrect password attempts. If you do, make sure you have a backup.

Keep software updated
Install operating system and app updates as soon as they are offered: they fix security flaws.

Download from trustworthy sources
Use official stores, such as Google Play or the App Store, or your phone manufacturer’s store.

Do not jailbreak or root your phone
Without the manufacturer’s restrictions, your phone is more vulnerable.

Be careful with public Wi-Fi
Use mobile data where you can. If you connect to public Wi-Fi, make sure it’s the real network: check its name and password with the staff, and if you see two networks with the same name or a network without a password, it’s better not to connect. If you need to log in to your bank, only do it in your bank’s app. Afterwards, remove the network from your phone’s saved networks, and if you’re not sure the network was real and you typed a password, change it.

Turn your phone off and on weekly
The US National Security Agency (NSA) recommends this as one of the ways to protect your phone from malware.

Regularly back up your data
If your phone breaks or is stolen, you can restore your data.

Use a privacy screen protector
Put a privacy screen protector on your phone so that people next to you cannot see what is on your screen.

Do you think someone has accessed your Paysera account without your permission? Perhaps you’ve received a suspicious login notification from a country that you don’t usually log in from? If so, immediately:

• freeze your card in the Paysera Super App (Cards › Freeze);
• change your password;
• contact our Client Support by phone – we will help you secure your account.