What Do Your Devices Know About You?
Cyber Security
Frazer Lloyd-Davies
Have you ever had a conversation with a friend about a specific product you’ve been looking at buying, only to be hit with an ad a few hours later on social media? Contrary to popular belief, your smartphone isn’t listening to you. However, you might still be surprised by the amount of data your computer, laptop, tablet or mobile phone has collected about you. So what do your devices know about you?
When you use any device, the data generated from your activity is tracked and stored. Understanding what data your device is collecting and how it uses that data is important. Whilst you can’t stop the collection of your information entirely, being aware of what your device is storing allows you to focus on safer, more secure practices. Doing so can help you protect your sensitive data from being misused or stolen.
Here are five things your device knows about you.
Your Passwords
Any password or data that your device automatically populates for you is stored locally or within your browser’s cloud service. This can include your name, address and, of course, any credit card details you’ve chosen to save. It certainly saves time when completing online forms or making purchases but it’s worth considering just how secure that really is.
Saved passwords can often be viewed through browser settings or synced across devices, meaning someone with access to your profile could potentially gain access to your accounts. While most modern browsers now use encryption and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to make this harder, it’s not foolproof. If you’d like the convenience of autofill but without the risk, a dedicated password manager is a much safer way to store your credentials.
Your Location
Modern devices, particularly mobile phones, are very effective at tracking your location – even when your location services are switched off. While today’s operating systems (like iOS and Android) are more transparent and offer app-by-app permission controls, certain features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi scanning can still generate location data.
It might not seem like much, but location information can be surprisingly revealing. With enough of it, someone could build a fairly accurate picture of your daily routine, including where you live and work – and when you’re likely to be away.
If you’re concerned about your location data, you can manage these permissions on your devices and check which apps have access to your location. It isn’t just your digital maps that can see your location, so it’s important to check all of the apps installed on your device. Unless it’s critical to the core function of the app, such as SatNav or Google Maps, consider revoking access to location services.
Your Messages and Phone Calls
The messages you send and receive, as well as the calls you make, are all logged and stored on your devices. While apps like WhatsApp, Signal and iMessage now use end-to-end encryption by default, meaning messages are unreadable in transit, they’re still accessible if someone gets physical access to your device.
Many messaging apps now offer extra privacy tools like biometric locks, disappearing messages and encrypted cloud backups. Still, it’s worth thinking carefully about what you send and store. Sensitive details, like banking information or login codes, are always better shared through secure channels, or not at all.
Your Erased Data
Deleting a file from your device doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone for good. Unless it’s been overwritten or securely wiped, deleted data can often be recovered long after you’ve hit the erase button, using widely available software.
This means that you need to be wary of what data you consume. For example, if you receive a particularly sensitive work email, wait until you’re on a secure company computer before downloading the attachment. That way, you can ensure the device is harder to access and unrecoverable once deleted. You also shouldn’t just throw your technology away. You never know who will come across your device in the future, what they might be able to find out about you and how they might use it. Official recycling services are inexpensive and something your IT support provider should be able to assist with.
Your Files and Downloads
When you download a file from the internet, your device stores a copy locally. This means everything you download, from bank statements to personal information, is very easy to access. While this is convenient for you, it can cause issues should your device fall into the wrong hands.
As a result, it’s important to be careful what you download and you should never let files collect in your download folders. This is particularly relevant on shared devices such as the IT infrastructure owned by the company you work for. Your company will often have the right to view whatever files are stored on your business device, so you should never download personal information to a work phone, computer or tablet. It’s also important to dispose of sensitive information when you’re finished with it. It can easy to forget, but make sure you clear out your devices regularly.
Staying Secure at Acronyms
When you use any digital device, chances are the data generated from your activity is being tracked and stored in some form. It’s a fact of modern life. However, securing your data doesn’t have to be complicated.
Since 2003, the team at Acronyms has been providing businesses from across the South West with professional and reliable IT support services. We tailor our services to the needs of our clients and offer bespoke cyber security solutions without the unnecessary jargon, bravado or overselling typical of our industry.
If you would like to know more about how Acronyms can protect your business, book a free consultation today.
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