Data saved on your smartphones not safe

Manama : Credit card details should never be saved on a smartphones as hackers can obtain the data by hacking the phone, an expert has said. 

Smartphone users have been warned against saving their credit card or debit card information on their smart devices as hackers could bypass the phone’s security software to obtain the information. Often, the internet browsing software on the phone prompts the users to save their credit card details within the software to add convenience while shopping online. 

However, allowing the application to save the pin could be dangerous, warned IT expert Sari Mashal. 

“The users should not be saving their passwords and pins on their mobile devices. If such information is saved on the smartphone and if the phone is hacked or stolen, it becomes a problem. The hacker will then be able to access the account and commit transactions. You should also not take pictures of the credit card or the password. You can use antivirus applications and security systems but the risk is till there. Hackers are able to bypass the antivirus security systems through ‘backdoor’ means,” he told DT News.

Smartphone users need to be proactive in taking steps to protect themselves, he said. 

“First thing to do is to choose a strong password on the phone interface, the password should not be weak because it can be hacked easily,” he added.

In a recent theft in Dubai a Gulf national who had saved his credit card information on his iPhone fell victim to hacking. 

The hacker made BD3000 in illicit purchases from London and Nigeria after hacking his phone.

 “He had saved his credit card and the pin number in the phone and the hackers managed to get the details and use it,” a senior Dubai Police officer said. 

“He had an iPhone and he stored his card and pin number inside. The problem is he made the access to his phone easier as he used ‘jailbreak’ and the hackers managed to access his data and pictures through an application he downloaded through ‘jailbreak’. 

“They used the card to steal his money,” the officer said.