Nokia Smartphone Hacks

Chapter 4. Protect Your Phone

Hacks 22–25: Introduction

In the mobile information age, mobile phones not only store sensitive information about us, but also act as an identity provider for us when we use mobile network services. Therefore, it is important that we keep our phones physically secure.

It is also important that we keep our phones secure from viruses and other forms of attack. As mobile phones and related services become increasingly sophisticated, many potential security problems can arise because phones are networked in so many ways. In this chapter, you will learn how to secure your device against malicious programs, service theft, and data theft.

Avoid Malicious Software

Protect your Nokia phone against mobile phone viruses, malware, Trojan horses, Bluetooth scanners, and other malicious programs.

As a powerful and connected computing device, the Nokia smartphone suffers the same vulnerability as other connected computers—viruses and other malicious programs can attack them over the network. Those programs can potentially harm the device, leak sensitive information, cause data loss, or even result in big service charges for you. Compared with regular computer viruses, a mobile phone virus can be especially harmful, since it can spread in peer-to-peer local networks; worse, most phone users are not prepared to deal with such viruses.

Basics of Malicious Programs

Before you can act to protect yourself, you need to know a little about how malicious programs can attack your ...