As more advisors do business while on the go, you need to take steps to protect your devices and your data, says Ann Cavoukian, Ontario’s privacy commissioner.
“Threats to privacy are growing,” Cavoukian says. “But the ways of protection are growing as well.”
In order to make sure your mobile devices and data are protected, Cavoukian suggests you follow these four steps:
1. Protect devices with passwords
“You should have no device that is not password-protected,” Cavoukian says.
Surprisingly, she says, it is a simple step that many overlook.
And if you do have a password, remember that not all passwords are created equal.
Many mobile users create passwords that are too simple. An easy password leaves you vulnerable to “dictionary attacks,” in which hackers try commonly used password combinations.
In order to create a password that is more difficult to crack, Cavoukian suggests, pick a word that you know and will remember in another language.
Also, try spelling words the way they sound phonetically, as opposed to the correct spelling.
“I will guarantee that [password] won’t be cracked,” she says.
2. Screen your email
Never download an attachment on an unsolicited email message from someone you don’t know.
Many malicious programs — such as viruses, spyware and Trojan horse programs, which could compromise your information and cripple your device — are distributed as email attachments. Downloading attachments from unknown sources is like playing Russian roulette with the security of your devices.
3. Encrypt your data
Be sure to encrypt any sensitive information stored on your mobile devices or on other media such as a flash drive, so it is inaccessible in case of loss or theft.
“If all the personal information [of your clients] is encrypted, you will save yourself a boatload of trouble and agony in case something bad happens,” says Cavoukian. “It is worth every second it takes you.”
Many reliable encryption tools are available online, free of charge.
4. Be wary of apps
While apps might offer an attractive and user-friendly way to obtain new information, Cavoukian says, you should avoid installing non-essential apps on devices that manage sensitive client data.
Most apps do not come with adequate privacy protection. In future, Cavoukian says, developers should be required to embed privacy features into their apps. Until that happens, however, tread carefully.
“Many in their haste to get an app may not think through the implications from a privacy perspective,” Cavoukian says. “It’s a major concern.”