Daily life. Once a day or once a week: To prevent online scams, how often should you turn off your smartphone?
The American NSA advocating turning off mobile phones once a week for 30 minutes, the Australian Prime Minister urging his fellow citizens to turn them off every day for five minutes... But what exactly should we do to protect ourselves from cyber risks?
The phenomenon of online scams is massive: 15% of French people say they have been the victim of one in 2024. Photo illustration Pixabay
It's a device that's sometimes more powerful than a simple computer, and can be carried in your pocket. And with it, you can do almost anything: calls, text messages, emails, payments, manage finances, photos, social networks... It's a bit like a Swiss Army knife for digital life.
To the point that today, for many, the smartphone has become a bit like an extension of oneself.
But the environment there is hostile. However, when it comes to snatch thieves or scammers, we more or less know how to handle them. When it comes to hackers, it's more complicated.
What to do when you don't understand anything?It's hard not to be fooled by phishing when you don't understand the mechanics, let alone the consequences... Like identity theft or bank account hacking.
Yes, but then, what can we do to protect ourselves against cyber threats?
A short glossary of the most common attacks
Phishing. These messages look like perfectly legitimate (and reliable) emails or text messages and are sent to a large number of people. The attachment or link contains malware that can collect sensitive data once the recipient clicks on the link or downloads the file.
In 2020, phishing was the vector of attacks in 73% of cases in companies.
Spear phishing. It's like phishing but much, much more targeted, targeting specific people's devices.
Ransomware. Hackers send an email with an infected attachment. After downloading, the computer or system stops working. A ransom message appears: to obtain the codes that will allow it to work again, you'll have to pay.
The Trojan horse. It looks like a legitimate application, but it carries malicious code that aims to damage the device or steal information.
The counterfeit USB cable. You may have noticed: our smartphones are particularly unpredictable when you try to charge them with a different cable. This reaction isn't just for commercial reasons. Some counterfeit cables (rare but difficult to differentiate) are actually designed to send data wirelessly to hackers.
Exploit: A piece of code or program that allows an individual or malicious software to exploit a computer security vulnerability. Whether remotely (a remote exploit) or locally (a local exploit), the goal is to take over the resources of a computer or network.
Zero-click exploits: These are the most insidious attacks. They generally require no action from the victims. They don't even need to click on a compromised link or file. The spyware installs itself without the user's knowledge.
One of the measures put forward since the Pegasus spyware affair in 2020 is to turn off your phone regularly.
Why? Because it allows you to close malicious apps and/or background processes that might be spying on users or collecting data; and to cut off external connections.
Simple, basic. Yes, but how often? Opinions vary. Two years ago, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged his fellow citizens to do it every night, for 5 minutes, "while you brush your teeth or whatever."
Three years earlier, in 2020, the NSA (the National Security Agency in the USA) recommended, in a detailed document, restarting your smartphone, or even turning it off for around thirty minutes, at least once a week .
Not the panaceaWho's right? Both, according to experts, who are quick to point out, however, that while it's an effective solution against certain attacks (targeted phishing or zero-click exploits), it's not a panacea for cyber threats.
If you've already inadvertently leaked your credentials, for example, this won't help.
No, what matters most for the average person is to apply the basics of "computer hygiene" as Numerama indicates.
To download an app, it is recommended to use reliable sources like the Apple Store or Play Store. Photo illustration Pixabay
And that starts with updating your software (especially your operating system, browser, and antivirus) whenever you receive a notification, even if it comes at an inopportune time. These updates often include welcome security fixes to thwart the latest hacker tricks.
It is also important to download apps from trusted sources like the Apple Store or Play Store to avoid importing malware.
Be careful with Bluetooth!Disabling Bluetooth and NFC when not in use is recommended to limit entry points, especially in crowded public places. With the same goal in mind, it's important to use a VPN when browsing on a public Wi-Fi network.
Checking and changing app permissions in your settings is a great way to better protect your privacy and control your personal data.
Finally, you should always be wary of links and attachments sent by suspicious emails or text messages, even if they appear to be completely legitimate.
These reflexes are very important. According to the UN, a cyberattack is launched approximately every 39 seconds worldwide.
In 2019, 70% of online fraud was committed via mobile platforms. In 2024, 15% of French people say they have been scammed online.
More than ever, we must be vigilant.
Le Progres
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