CyberSecurity updates

Wabash Valley Manager, Security and Field Operations John Chambers monitors developments related to cybersecurity, and shares these updates.

Switch phones, risks remain
You may not think of cell phones as risky tools, but as they contain more data and personal information, the risk increases -- especially after you discard or lose one.

Take iPhones. If you lose yours (or if it’s stolen), you may think that using remote wiping will protect your personal information, but that’s not the case. Whoever has your phone may still receive (and respond to) iMessage content that’s intended for you. You can protect yourself by registering a completely new Apple ID, but that means losing any music, movies, or apps you’ve purchased with the old one.

Another problem involves personal data that stays on old smartphones the users have supposedly reset. One expert estimates that 60 percent of discarded smartphones still contain data that can be accessed. In a test, four out of five Android phones that had been reset by the factory still had data sitting in hidden storage locations, including Social Security numbers and user account information.

How can you protect yourself? Be careful about what you put on your phone in the first place. And if your phone contains sensitive data, think twice about selling it on Craigslist or letting your provider recycle it. Your best bet may be to take a hammer to it.