Privacy is not for sale

If I ask you who is your biggest closet or secret keeper on whom you have maximum confidence perhaps you will name your spouse, best friend or sibling. But in reality, it's your smartphone who knows everything about you. From your personal chatting, photos, videos, personal details, GPS location and social media and app passwords to bank details your phone knows it all. Nobody wants strangers to access their cell phone and system and for this they put a lock in their system and cell phones. But then the most important part is that is your lock enough to keep your phone safe? In the past, there have been many such cases of data leaks which have shocked the general public. People are afraid that what if there phone also get hacked . First of all, let me tell you that this is not a matter of getting scared in fact the need of an hour is to be smart and careful. Together with your understanding and our tips, you can save yourself from such type of cyber crimes and threat of data leak and mobile hacking.

Understanding mobile hacking and data theft

Are you among those people who think that someone sitting abroad stealing your personal data cannot do anything? What benefit they will gain? First of all, let me tell you that your data is more expensive than the money lying in your bank. In the international market, the value of your name, surname and mobile number is included in deals worth lakhs. Hackers steal your phone's data and sell it to big companies and get paid in dollars and pounds. our data can prove to be a big profitable deal for a company, this is the reason large number of hackers are sitting in search of chance to intrude in your phone . At the same time, scams like blackmailing and money fraud are also done by stealing your data.

How it is done?

'Hackers know better how to steal from your phone' This line fits perfectly on mobile hacking. There are many ways to hack a phone and with the passage of time, the people active in this work have invented a lot new methods and ways for hacking your system. They are getting advanced with time. The most important thing about mobile hacking is t clear one thing here that the mobile user is the person who is responsible for the phone being hacked. The user makes some mistake, due to which his phone gets hacked and data is stolen. Greed, imprudence and haste compromise the user's privacy and security and the phone goes into the wrong hands.

Phishing

Phishing attacks continue to play a dominant role in the digital threat landscape. Digital fraudsters show no signs of slowing down their phishing activity. The most type of scam that Indian users get caught in is phishing. This fraud runs solely on greed. A message is sent to the user that a reward has come out on their number, which includes such and such gifts, money, goods, etc. Seeing such messages, people quickly click on the link and get trapped in the net like a fish to get free stuff. Surely you must have also came across such messages.

Spam Links

Spam links work just like phishing. Users are sent links to websites on WhatsApp etc. and are asked to read them. As soon as people click on the link, virus or infected files get saved in the phone and hack the system. These links look very similar to the original product and website, due to which it is difficult to identify. Apart from this, spam link messages also come in the form of reports, news, articles, offers or lotteries and your name based wishing GIF's.

Malicious App

Mobile applications that are infected with virus comes under this category. Whenever such infected app is installed in the phone, the virus along with the app also enters the phone compromise all your personal information and steals the phone data. These apps can also be found in the form of video games and photo editing like mobile games, video players or TikTok. These apps are mostly third-party and are not offered on the official App Store of iPhone and Android.

Downloads

'hey buddy. The new movie that has come on Netflix is with you..?' These kinds of things often happens within group of friends where they share links of free downlaoded movie songs and games from unprotected and Unauthorized sites. When such movies, videos and songs are downloaded from the Internet,they bring lots of viruses and potential threat to your system putting you on verge of threat.

Pop-Ups

This browsing world is as deep as ocean. You don't realise when you swim in it how far have you came in search of links and information. While browsing you must have realised that in between too many pop up keeps on flashing, the moment you click them it opens into several other pages by the time you close them virus enters and your system is compromised

Exploit Kits

Exploit kits need a vulnerability (bug in the code of a software) in order to gain control of a user's computer. They are readymade tools criminals can buy online and use against anyone with a computer. The exploit kits are upgraded regularly similar to normal software and are available on dark web hacking forums. Some mistakes can really be very heavy, so we must formulate some new habits and adopt the tips mentioned below:

♥ Fake messages like getting price or lottery should never be opened. At the same time, if such messages have come to you, they should be deleted and the person who has sent the message should also be cautioned not to spread the message.

♥ Check correctly without email or whatsapp, any kind of link should not be open. The person sending such links should also be prevented from spreading the link. Also Read: Being Frauded Online, Learn How to Report in Cyber Crime

♥ If you want to download an app of any kind, then you should always use the official platform. Third party apps and APK files should not be downloaded to the phone.

♥ If you install an app in the phone, then it must be paid attention to what the app is asking for. If you feel that there is no need of any feature to use the app, then the app should not give its permission.

♥ Do not keep pirated files of any app, mobile game and movie etc. in your phone. Do not let piracy and your friends who download such files also explain the danger of this.

♥ Apart from these, do not open the image and messages received from unknown person

♥ Do not allow any person to transfer files on the phone.

♥ There are some important things that need to be avoided, such as using unnecessary beta apps and phone routing, and the phone should be protected from data theft and hacking.

♥ Avoid sharing your device with others.

Where and how to report cybercrime

Since the technology has been overstepping every conventional method, it has also overstepped the offline process of filing the cybercrime complaint. The cybercrime complaints can be registered on National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal which is the initiative of the Government of India to facilitate the nation-wide cybercrime complaints and to make it feasible for the victims/complainants to have access to the cybercrime cells and to all the information related to cybercrimes at their fingertips. National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal is one of the components of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre established by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and deals with all types of cybercrimes.

All you need to do is fill up the Incidental details ,Mode of communication (Email, WhatsApp, Website, etc. ) Date & time of the incident ,Platform where the incident occurred (Twitter, Tik Tok, Website URL, etc.) Upload evidence (if any) Other additional information related to the incident. You will be asked about suspect details too. After complaint registration you will be allotted a complaint number with the help of that number you can track status of the whole process. Apart from this you can call on 155260 to register your complaint.

I really think that if we change our own approach and thinking about what is available to us, that is what will unlock our ability to truly excel in security. It's a perspective exercise. What would it look like if abundance were the reality and not resource constraint?

(The author is a forensic expert & graphologist)