All iPhone and Android users told to change settings now or risk ‘falling victim’ to six ‘common’ attacks

PHONE owners are being urged to change their settings to save themselves from dangerous and easy-to-execute scams.

If you’ve got an iPhone or an Android, it’s important you’re not making mistakes that put you at risk.

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Experts at Keeper Security have warned that taking advantage of a simple feature can help you avoid becoming the victim of at least six “common” cyber attacks.

The advice is to use a password manager, which is very easy to set up.

“Cybercriminals use a variety of cyber attacks to steal your sensitive information,” said Keeper Security’s Tim Tran.

“However, a password manager can help prevent you from falling victim to them.

“Password managers protect your sensitive information from being stolen by unauthorized users by ensuring that your passwords are strong and unique.”

PASS GO!

Password managers store your log-ins in a safe and secure way.

It means you don’t have to remember long and complicated passwords for all of your accounts.

Passwords are a major weak point when it comes to your online security.

Short passwords are very easy to remember, but they can be “brute-forced” by hacking apps very easily.

And long passwords are hard to remember, so people often re-use them.

This is a major problem because if just one of your accounts is hacked, that password can then be tried against your others too – creating a chain of break-ins if you’ve re-used them.

So if you want a strong and unique log-in for every account, a password manager is a great way to make that happen.

Many password managers will also suggest strong and unique passwords for you, making it even easier to stay safe.

Phone scam statistics

Americans are bombarded with three billion spam phone calls a month. What are the figures regarding the number of victims and the amount of money lost to fraudsters

• In 2022, Americans lost some $39.5 billion to phone scams, with 68.4 million US citizens affected, according to TechReport.
• The average phone scam victim lost $567.41 each in 2021, a major rise on the 2021 figure of $182 per victim, according to Hiya.
• The majority of scams happen over the phone, with fraudsters twice as likely to call compared to text in 2021, as reports the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
• In 2021, the US saw a 56% increase in spam phone calls with 60% of those being robocalls.
• US residents experienced an average of 18 spam phone calls per month, although some experts believe the true figure may be as high as 31 per month.
• Many phone calls from reputable businesses may be marked wrongly as spam, but 38% of companies have no idea whether they’re being marked as “potential fraud” or not, according to Hiya.
• Never hand over any personal or financial information if you suspect a phone call is a scam. For instance, your bank will never ask you for such details in full over the phone. 
• To cut down on spam phone calls and scams, sign up for the Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers, by law, will need to check that list before they call you up.
• Downloading third-party apps such as Hiya, Nomorobo, or Truecaller can help filter out annoying spam calls.
• Try not to share your phone number unless you have to, especially online or with sketchy sources.

UNDER ATTACK!

Keeper Security says that password managers can help to fend off the following types of attacks:

• Simple brute force attack – This is when cyber-criminals bombard your account log-in with endless password combinations using software. So if you’ve got a simple password, this will be very effective against you.
• Dictionary attack – This is when criminals will use “common dictionary words and phrases” from a long list. Use random sequences of characters in your password manager to avoid this.
• Password spraying – Another type of attack uses a list of usernames and tries to match it with a “commonly used password”.
• Credential stuffing – This is when criminals use passwords obtained via leaks, and then try them against your other log-ins, hoping that you’ve re-used something.
• Keyloggers – This is malicious software that ends up on your device, taking note of everything you type. Password managers don’t “type” anything as they auto-fill log-in formers, preventing keyloggers from stealing your passwords.
• Spoofing attacks – Spoofing involves setting up fake websites that look like official ones to trick you into entering your password. Your password manager shouldn’t auto-fill on these fake websites, so you’ll know you’re being scammed.

Of course there are many other reasons password managers can upgrade your online security, so it’s definitely worth taking advantage of them.

A password manager can help prevent you from falling victim

Tim TranKeeper Security

MANAGE IT!

Thankfully, getting a password manager is really easy.

There’s one built into iOS for your iPhone that you’ve probably already seen.

It’s called the iCloud Keychain, and you can turn it in by going into Settings > [Name] > iCloud.

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Then tap on Passwords and Keychain > Turn On iCloud Keychain.

“iCloud Keychain remembers things, so that you don’t have to,” Apple explains.

“It autofills your information — like your Safari and app usernames, passwords and passkeys, credit card information and security codes, and Wi-Fi passwords on any device that you approve.

“iCloud Keychain can also help you share passwords and passkeys with people that you trust.”

Android phone owners can take advantage of the Google Password Manager.

This is built into Chrome and other Android apps, and works in a similar way to the iCloud Keychain.

Just go into Settings > Google > Manage Your Google Account > Security.

Then scroll to Signing In To Other Sites, tap Password Manager > Settings, and then activate Offer To Save Passwords.

This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk