Understanding the uses of smartphones and the risk of hacking

How far technology has come. Long gone are the days of just making phone calls from a landline or from a phone booth. In fact, although they’re still out there, use of mobile phones with tangible buttons has become less common, having given way to the major innovation that has been smartphones.

Smartphones have been getting more and more advanced, generating huge excitement in the tech world and for tech fans. From becoming a simple device for communication to a device on which you can take photos, send emails and more, smartphones have become a major part of mainstream life. Where would so many people be in the world today without them?

An everything device

Smartphones and other portable smart devices are getting more and more sophisticated; and by doing so, making people’s lives easier. Some of the things it’s possible to do on a smart device today people might never have even considered possible years ago. Here are a few innovations:

• Taking pictures and recording videos.
• Conducting personal banking transactions, such as paying bills, setting up standing orders and more.
• Navigating when travelling.
• Organising and managing a schedule.
• Making medical appointments.
• Remote working.
• Texting.
• Providing identification (FaceID).

Of course, when it’s possible to do so much with a device, the benefits the owner can enjoy are immense.

• You can keep in touch with friends and loved ones easily, doing so through texts, images, videos and other media. 
• You can even do so in a more amusing or emotional way.
• You can enjoy entertainment on the go. 
• You can find your way with much less hassle around places you don’t know.
• You can always be available in your social circles.
• You don’t have to visit a bank every time you need to do something.
• You can order food online, whether groceries or takeaway.

Basically, smart devices have enabled us to enjoy much more convenience and get much more done amid the hectic pace of modern-day life.

What kind of impact does smart technology have on data protection?

As useful as smartphones are, they’ve made protecting personal information more difficult.

For one, the use of apps, including mobile gaming apps, encourages people to enter some of their personal information to use them. This can provide people with access to them for marketing purposes and, possibly, if the information falls into the wrong hands, malicious purposes. 

Mobile casino apps in particular often require players card details when they deposit their funds. With the success of the online casino industry, players are advised to ensure they are gaming with an official licensed gambling provider to ensure the protection of their data. Sites such as gambling.com list secure licensed providers for players to easily identify safe reputable sites.

Reputable casino providers are aware of the importance of cybersecurity and protecting their customers’ personal data. That’s why they employ sophisticated encryption methods to ensure only the operator and the customer can view transactions online between the two parties. No one can spy on them.

Falling foul of hackers

Unfortunately, you’re not the only one who wants access to your phone. Malicious elements out there want access, too, which means phones are at risk of being hacked. 

Some might physically rob you of your phone and break into it. Others will exploit flaws in your phone’s security so they can breeze into your phone, take control of it and, along with that, help themselves to anything they want.

Hacking has all manner of unpleasant consequences for the device’s owner. If successful, the hacker can:

• Take over your passwords and usernames.
• Sell your information to other parties, who may be using it for criminal purposes.
• Steal your money or open bank accounts using your identity.
• Make purchases.
• Blackmail people.
• Eavesdrop on calls.

In many circumstances, this impact creates chaos for service providers and other business, who are then dealing with instances of fraud, which can have a detrimental impact on their business.

Challenging times for the cybersecurity industry

The constant evolution of technology means the world of cybersecurity is having to deal with an increasing number of threats and find solutions to them. New technologies have given cybercriminals a wider surface area for attack. Some people have even spoken of cybercrime as being an “industry”.

Social media is a worry because it contains personal information and features such as checking in can indicate to others you’re not home. So many people use social media apps, too, and every new account someone creates on Facebook or other social media apps is an opportunity for a hacker to access the person’s data and misuse it.

The fact that, in this age of cloud computing, data has gone digital creates further concern. Many businesses today store documents and other data on a shared network, so hard copies are much less common than they used to be. People, in their working life, may be accessing the company cloud from their mobile. Cybersecurity firms are having to strive extra hard with sophisticated security methods to protect the data of companies

One big issue is that more and more devices are connected to the internet. Not only that, however, devices are connected to each other. This has created opportunities for hackers, who are trying to hack into websites and other places via random household appliances such as internet-connected fish tanks. 

Smartphones and other smart devices have created much convenience, allowing people to complete a whole range of tasks using their phone, when previously they may have had to visit a brick-and-mortar establishment to carry them out. They just have to be careful with their data now, which, if they are, can protect them from becoming victims of cybercrime.