GARDAÍ ARE WARNING people who use their phones for mobile banking to be careful.

A cyber security conference in Dublin heard about the increasing criminal threats faced by both businesses and individuals online.

It heard how online bank account passwords may be at risk if your mobile is subjected to a malware attack.

At least 70% of Irish people use smart phones and we use them for internet activity more than any other western country.

The proportion of web traffic on phones here, is almost 1/3 higher than the European average and ¼ higher than in the UK.

However, gardaí are warning that sensitive business information or transactions can be compromised by a targeted attack on unsecured devices.

Vast amounts of our personal data are now being stored on mobile devices including financial information, personal photographs and even our location history. This information is of major interest to cybercriminals.

The Garda Cyber Crime Bureau is advising mobile device users to follow a few simple steps to avoid becoming a victim of mobile malware attack:

• Only install apps from a trusted source, if your bank or financial institution has an official app – Use It
• Ensure your mobile device software is up to date and remember ‘Jailbreaking’ or ‘Rooting’ a device seriously compromises its security
• Make sure you have a recent Back Up of your device, as an attack may render it useless, resulting in the loss of all your contacts, personal photos and files

An Garda Síochána is supporting Europol in the European Mobile Awareness Campaign from October 24-28 as part of European Cyber Security Month.

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