You use your smartphone to check maps when you’re lost, “Like” our latest health tips on Facebook, and even check your bank balance. But could all that mobile browsing be putting you at risk for fraud? Experts at the Georgia Institute of Technology think so. They examined web browsers on Androids, Blackberries, iPhones, and Windows Mobile phones to see if those browsers met security guidelines set by the World Wide Web Consortium, and then implanted attacks on browsers that didn’t meet the guidelines. Unfortunately, it turns out that every phone is at risk, and the biggest threat is “phishing”—when users are directed to a fraudulent webpage and asked for passwords or other personal information. While this same kind of threat is also a danger on your desktop computer, the smaller screens on smartphones make it tougher to determine whether or not a website is secure. “The address bar holds several security indicators,” says lead study author Chaitrali Amrutkar, a PhD candidate at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “But it’s often hidden on your phone to allow for more space.” Fortunately, Amrutkar has a simple solution: Pull the address bar down from the top of the screen, so that it’s always visible. Then, look for an “htts” in the URL (which means the site uses SSL encryption to protect your privacy), as well as a lock icon near the address bar, before typing in any personal information. More from Prevention: The Depressing Truth About Your Smartphone Questions? Comments? Contact Prevention’s News Team!
