Telephone, Voice Over Internet Phone (VOIP), Cell Phone, And Superphone
All cell phones not only track you, the Superphones have GPS as well as Internet access and can be much more dangerous than a computer to your personal security and privacy.
All the privacy concerns and dangers listed in the previous chapter about computers apply to the Superphone that most carry today. There is the added risk of location tracking by Cell Tower Triangulation and GPS tracking that can pinpoint your location within a few feet.
Here are your security levels with these communication devices from most secure to least secure in descending order:
Level One:
RECOMMENDATION: For VOIP, I like the Magic Jack or the recently introduced MagicJack Plus and MagicJack Go that can work with or without a computer, but an Internet connection is still needed. Bought retail for cash so no personal information is given out. Register to a fake name (I use David, David … So it looks like I made a mistake and repeated my first name in the last name box). Maybe NOT registered for 911 calls to your living address. This is so your living address does not end up in a whole bunch of databases even if it is attached to a fake name. You could use a neighbor’s address for 911 emergencies, so the police or fire department would arrive near to the correct address in an emergency.
Level Two:
I buy the prepaid cell phone locally and anonymously for cash. Don’t give the number to anyone.
WARNING: If you forget to turn the Cell Phone off, remove the battery, and travel home with it on or the battery in … You’ve been tracked!
I’m currently at Level Two but would have no great issue with getting rid of the basic prepaid cell phone and becoming Level One. I rarely use the prepaid cell phone and then only when traveling in my car. I could survive fine without the prepaid cell phone. It’s nice to have for an emergency and backup.
Level Three:
TRY TO AVOID THIS LEVEL!
WARNING: If you forget to turn the Cell Phone off, remove the battery, and travel home with it on … You’ve been tracked!
Level Four:
REALLY AVOID THIS LEVEL!
WARNING: If you forget to turn the Cell Phone off, remove the battery, and travel home with it on or the battery in … You’ve been tracked.
Level Five:
What is a basic Cell Phone?
It’s a “no-frills” cell phone defined more by what it does not have than has. There’s no camera, 3G or 4G radio, WIFI, Bluetooth, memory storage, music player, or apps. It can’t even send text messages. It’s a generic quad-band GSM cell phone offering nothing more than unprotected over-the-air voice communication.
Best Practices for General Cell Phone Security
Cell phones are small, easily misplaced, lost, or stolen. Someone knowledgeable easily compromises the best-secured cell phone. They may want your data or use your cell phone to incur a large roaming bill in your name.
Be aware of the risks of “Social Engineering”. If you are making a phone call that involves sensitive information, for example, a credit card number, be sure no one can overhear you and use the information fraudulently or commit identity theft.
Contact your cell phone provider as soon as your cell phone is lost or you think it’s been hacked. At a minimum, if your cell phone is lost or stolen you’ll want to stop service immediately before the thief can run up a big bill.
Password protect your phone. Use a strong password (minimum of 8 characters, with a mixture of numbers, symbols, uppercase, and lowercase letters). This prevents most casual thieves from stealing your info, but 95% of people don’t do this. Also, if a cop asks for your phone, you are not obligated to give the password. For smartphones, apps like Lookout can be programmed to backup your data and help you find a lost phone.
Turn off Bluetooth, unless you need it. Disabling the Bluetooth service will significantly decrease a hacker’s opportunity to hack into your phone.
Get and install antivirus software, if it’s available for your model, and keep it updated. New malware is created every day, so it’s important to have antivirus software on your cell phone.
Don’t accept files and text messages from individuals you do not know. You wouldn’t download an attachment to an email you received from a stranger to your desktop or laptop computer. For the same reason you want to be careful about opening unsolicited files and text messages on your cell phone.
Get and install encryption software for your cell phone, if available. GadgetTrak offers a service that will encrypt your data and back it up in the cloud. There are ways around encryption, but this will stop 99% of hackers and police.
What if the police or criminals steal your phone and go to work hacking into it and getting your passwords, financial information, and recent whereabouts? Just use GadgetTrak, SeekDroid, or Webroot to remotely wipe your phone’s data. This can be done from your home computer.
FINAL SAFETY AND SECURITY NOTE: Never say anything over any communication device that you would not want published in tomorrow’s local newspaper. If something embarrassing or private needs to be securely communicated … Use Encrypted Email (next chapter), or meet face-to-face at a safe location. Intelligence agencies and many law enforcement agencies, educate their people to “never use a telephone or cell phone if a face-to-face meeting is possible” … NEVER! Do you remember when Obama was elected President? … The Secret Service took his Blackberry away before he was sworn in as President!