Take Five: Tips For Securing Mobile Devices

Faculty, staff and
students rely on smartphones and tablets to check email, get real-time
directions and connect with friends on social networks.

But mobile devices can be
especially vulnerable to online threats, Duke experts say.

With more than 223 million mobile
phone users in the U.S., hackers are eager to find ways to exploit the devices'
vulnerabilities with viruses, malicious applications and
other attacks, said Artem Kazantsev, a senior security analyst with the
university's IT Security Office.

"We all carry some
kind of data on our devices," Kazantsev said. "Your phone is a treasure trove,
with call logs, emails, SMS history. If someone gains access to your device,
they have access to all that data, which is a big threat."

Mobile threats have
exploded this year, and researchers predict the number of mobile device
exploits to double by the end of the year, according to the latest report from IBM's X-Force research group.

Smartphone users should
always think before they click, just as they do on a desktop or laptop
computer.

"We all make mistakes, and making
mistakes on a mobile device is easier; just one slip of a finger and your data
can be exposed," Kazantsev said.

While mobile devices
can't be secured in the same way as a desktop or laptop computer, users should
still take precautions to secure their devices.

Here are five tips to secure devices:

1. Set a strong password or passcode.
Consider setting it to wipe contents after 10 incorrect login attempts.

2. Back up your
mobile device regularly.

3. Use Duke's virtual
private network (VPN) client to connect to unencrypted public networks. Duke's
VPN allows for a secure connection into Duke's private network over the public
network. Instructions for download and use are available online.

4. Ensure operating system software is
up-to-date. Apply all software patches and updates
from BlackBerry,
Apple
and Android.

5.
Consider setting up remote wipe of data in case the device
is lost or stolen. iPhone and iPad users who are not on Exchange can register
with Apple to enable remote wiping of lost or stolen iPhone
or iPad.
University Exchange users are automatically configured for remote data
wipe.