One essential element of any sound cyber security strategy is securing your mobile devices and tablets. This may sound daunting, but there are a few simple and easy steps you can take to protect your devices and the information on them. And best of all, all of them are completely free to implement.

One of the simplest, yet often overlooked security measures is using some form of password protection to lock your phone.

Most phones today offer a variety of lock options, such as

Of course, using a password or PIN only helps, if you make it complex enough that it is not easily guessed (stay away from 0000 or 123456). Here’s some guidance on how to create strong passwords.

Make sure to always update your device. Manufacturers will release regular updates of their operating systems (e.g. Windows, Android, iOS) that’ll fix known security gaps or loop holes and will increase the security of your device.

Ideally, adjust the settings of your device so that it updates itself automatically. This usually only takes a few minutes and most devices will also schedule their updates for times that you don’t typically use the device, e.g. for 2am.

When your device has reached the end of its supported life, updates will unfortunately no longer be possible and the risk of security breaches will increase. At this point, you should seriously consider replacing the device with a more modern alternative.

Similar to your operating system, you should also make sure that you regularly update the applications you have installed on your device. Just like the manufacturers of your device, the developers of these apps will patch security gaps and release those fixes with the newest version of their app.

Here's how to update the Carer App.

Don’t connect to public WiFi hotspots, e.g. in cafes or hotels. You don’t know who is operating them (WiFi names can easily be faked) and it might not be who you think it is. If you are connected to a WiFi of an unknown source, someone might easily access what you’re working on or copy your private log-in details.

The easiest way to prevent this is to not connect to hotspots you don’t know or that aren’t password-protected. You can use your mobile data instead. Your mobile 3G, 4G or 5G network has security features built in to prevent such abuse. This means you can also create your own, private hotspot for devices that may not have immediate access to your mobile network.

Alternatively, you could also use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) as they encrypt your data before they send it across the Internet.

When using the Carer App, you can always use the offline mode, when in doubt of the trustworthiness of the WiFi at your client's location.

Nobody intentionally loses their devices, but sadly it is a reality that people lose their phones and tablets or even get them stolen. And often this happens when you are not at home or at work. To prevent unauthorised people gaining access to your data, you should therefore enable your device’s lost device tracking. Fortunately, most modern devices include a free web-based tool that allows you to track the location of your device:

With these tools you can usually also remotely lock access to your device and erase the data stored on it to prevent anybody else from using it.