Protect your mobile phone from unauthorised access

Jan 12, 2023

Protect your mobile phone from unauthorised access

Your smartphone is your wallet, camera and means of communication all in one. You need to protect it from attack and take action if the worst happens.

Tip 1: Always install updates

Switch on Automatic Updates under Settings > General > Software Update. This ensures that your smartphone is always up to date. Manufacturers use updates to resolve security vulnerabilities.

Tip 2: Avoid public WLAN networks

Even if it is convenient, stay off unprotected WLAN networks. These make you an easy target for hackers. They toggle between the unsecured devices on the same network and the WLAN hotspot, giving them access to all information that you transfer over the Internet.

Tip 3: Switch off Bluetooth

You need Bluetooth to use your speaker, headphones and other devices. But when you don’t need to connect, switch it off. It’s easy for people nearby to access your system through Bluetooth.

What you need to keep in mind with Android

Android is considered less secure than Apple because it’s an open-source system. If you know what you are doing, you can reprogram and expand the software – which makes it a perfect target for hackers. If you use an Android device, you should install a virus protection program. Android users need to be more careful with apps too. Anyone can upload apps to the Google Play Store – it’s up to you to check if you can trust an app.

Smartphone virus – what next?

Fallen victim to an attack? Take the following action:

Android:

Apps > Notifications.
Hold down the power button and restart the device in security mode.
Go back to Apps (step 1) and look at the installed apps. Which ones did you install recently, before the problems started? Which ones look suspicious? Are there any you don’t you know about? De-install them and restart the smartphone.

iPhone:

Clear the history and website data under Settings > Safari.
If this doesn’t work, reset your iPhone. You can do this under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. You will need to reconfigure your personal settings after this, but it won’t delete data.
Restart your iPhone.

You can also remove viruses using software. As a last resort, it’s also possible to reset your device completely.

Useful links

What are the best security tips from the Swisscom Community? Find out here.

DomiP · Jan 12, 2023

@LeaH Well, I wouldn’t say that Android is unsafe. Sure, there are several ports that allow attackers more than on the iPhone, but most devices with decent versions are well protected.

At the same time, the Google Play Store is equipped with various security mechanisms, for example apps are checked automatically and manually before they are published. With Google Play Protect, regular security scans are carried out and they also work.

hed · Jan 12, 2023

@DomiP

The large “zoo” of manufacturer-specific Android variants makes this OS more insecure than Apple’s closed ecosystem.

Stephan_76 · Jan 12, 2023

What is also important is to check what access rights an app requires before installing. When I see that a calculator app needs access to the phone book, I wonder.

A colleague has my phone number, saves it and some dubious app reads the number and no one other than the app programmer knows what happens to it.

Maybe I’m a little paranoid about this, but I do know why I rarely give my phone number to anyone. If you want to reach me from my circle of friends, you have to do so via Telegram or Facebook Messenger.

DomiP · Jan 12, 2023

Sure @hed, but if we talk about the big manufacturers like Samsung, then a lot is already available there. In the case of Samsung there is even an antivirus built-in. As with PC antivirus programs, whether this is effective remains to be seen…

And the problems with the phone number mentioned by @Stephan_76 are fundamentally also problems that occur with iOS - WhatsApp is also on the EiPhone from Meta.

Black Mamba · Jan 12, 2023

thank you @LeaH and @CorinaS for these valuable tips 😀

Herby · Jan 12, 2023

Then I’ll add my two cents:

IMO iPhone is less of a big evil than anything else… quite simply 😉

BBiekeineu17 · Feb 8, 2023

Thank you for these warnings and advice.

LLola57 · Feb 8, 2023

Thanks so much for the info.

Lippeungu69 · Feb 8, 2023

Always good to know, good advice

WWioprauppei83 · Feb 8, 2023

Thank you so much, you can never know enough

Good job, Giorgio

DanielD · Feb 8, 2023

If using a foreign WiFi, we can only recommend activating the Internet-Box VPN and using it to guarantee transmission security (now that IKEv2 is available).

Giovanni Pacifico · Feb 8, 2023

Good morning everyone,

thank you for your great work

Joscha · Feb 8, 2023

Informative article. Personally, I prefer to use WiFi because it’s more convenient; OK, also more dangerous. However, my cell phone is also secured in Swisscom’s ‘virus protection program’. You can add various devices here.

PPibannie57 · Feb 8, 2023

I really appreciate your advice. You are filling a gap! Well done. I’m saving the advice for the future. THANKS! Pibannie57

hed · Feb 8, 2023

@Joscha

If you are using a VPN on someone else’s WiFi, the security is very high.

Joscha · Feb 8, 2023

@hed: Thanks for the info.

intecom54 · Feb 8, 2023

@DomiP The number of attacks on Android (like Windows) suggests which areas are less safe. And the enormous number of unclean or unsafe apps in the Android stores is an additional risk, right?

Grennaungau30 · Feb 8, 2023

Many thanks for your advice, they are always useful and effective.

DomiP · Feb 8, 2023

@intecom54 is rather relative in my opinion.

While iOS enjoys being used proprietary to Apple and its devices, Android is open source and is therefore suitable for countless manufacturers. With the help of UI optimizations and the like, that certain something is added to the naked Android.

In my opinion, this is not the problem at all, but rather the fact that Apple basically nips such incidents in the bud, which means that Apple solves the gaps and problems quickly (beneficial for iOS security) and does so as an improvement and not as a bug fix declared. With Android, it ultimately took longer for security gaps to end up on the devices via the OEM, which has now been fixed through system updates via Google Play.

But I see the main problem somewhere else: with the user. A user who doesn’t respond to the “Hey, you’ve won 5000 francs” messages is just as safe using Android as he is using iOS. Of course, if he reacts to every scam, the risk is higher, but still the same as with the iPhone - the damage is then just different.

In addition, if you compare the iPhone with the Android, the “possibilities” are also very different. It’s enough for making calls, but if it gets more specific, you’ll certainly be more comfortable using Android.

But of course it’s my opinion, which can also be differentiated from yours.

I also know enough people in my environment (I work in the IT security industry and IT development for the state) who prefer the Android to the iPhone as their private device because many more security settings are possible via the “iCloud+” things.