For many Nigerians, a cell phone is more than simply a means of communication; it is also a wallet, a job tool, a personal archive, and an indispensable tool. It saves our apps, personal images, passwords, and private chats. However, while we take care to lock our homes, cars and protect our physical belongings, we frequently disregard the security of our phones, leaving lots of critical data susceptible to unauthorized access.
I’ve met countless people who never believed they would be targeted for cyberattacks. A neighbour’s WhatsApp was cloned and used to request money from his contacts. A colleague clicked on a fraudulent job offer link and unintentionally disclosed vital information. These are not thoughtless individuals. They are simply unaware that the gadget in their hands might be their most powerful tool or their greatest weakness.
Cybercriminals know this. In fact, they’re counting on it. Mobile phones are prime targets now, not because of their hardware, but because of the information they hold such as your BVN, your emails, your passswords, your ATM card details which are stored in chats, notes, browers or applications. All it takes is a weak password, a phishing message, or one download from the wrong site, and your privacy could be gone. We also take public WiFi for granted. People connect to free internet in places like hotels, airports, and random open wifi without realizing how vulnerable they are. Hackers may simply build bogus Wi-Fi networks, also known as “Evil Twin attacks”. An evil twin attack is a sort of cyberattack in which a hacker creates a false Wi-Fi access point that looks like a legitimate one, deceiving users into connecting to it. Once connected, attackers can intercept your traffic and collect data without you noticing.
Another surprising thing to me is how casual many of us manage app permissions. We download apps, and click “allow” on all permissions without thinking about if the application needed this function or not. We allow apps to read our messages, utilize our microphone, and access our locations wbegin with these little permissions.
So, what do we do? We must first know that cybersecurity is not for government agencies or businesses only. If you use a phone, laptop or any device that is connected to the internet, you should be cautious about security. Being secure on the internet begins with choosing secure passwords, not reusing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, avoid clicking on links or downloading applications from unknown sources and managing permissions according to the meet the need of each apps.
I also feel that businesses, whether large, small, or start-ups, should begin training their employees about mobile security risks. Many employees use personal devices for work-related tasks, but few know how to secure them. A single compromised phone can result in a breach of client data, financial loss, or reputational damage to the business. Recovering from a cybersecurity breach is more difficult than the prevention.
Telecommunication providers have an important role to play as well. We need phones and apps developed with security in mind, as well as local awareness efforts that address our specific needs rather than general technical advise from oversea. Nigeria’s mobile usage is fast increasing, but so is mobile fraud. And unless we take this seriously, the damage will continue to spread in silence.
The phone in your pocket is powerful. It can help you operate a business, remain in touch with family, and connect to the internet.
However, if not adequately secured, it has the potential to reveal your entire life. That is the part we can no longer ignore.
If you have never reviewed your cell phone’s security settings, now is the time. Review your applications permissions, delete the unused apps, and turn on the two-step verification for your social apps like whatspp, facebook, and many other applications that you have been ignoring.
Adeyemi Adesola, Security+ Cybersecurity Analyst
Email: yemiadesola@gmail.com
