The NSA Urges People in Maine, New Hampshire, & Massachusetts to Frequently Shut Down Their Phones

In recent years, our phones have become an integral part of our lives.

We utilize our phones not only for calls and texts but also for emails, as cameras, for making purchases, and for streaming our favorite shows and movies. Furthermore, our phones often play a role in two-factor authentication.

Some would say that our phones are more than an integral part of our lives.  Some people would say that our phones have become our lives.

That's why it is so important that our phones remain secure and free of spyware.  While we often hear about people who fall for seemingly obvious 'phishing' scams, sometimes scammers/hackers are able to infect your devices without any action from you.

A Dire Warning From the National Security Agency

The NSA, a federal agency whose duties include national cybersecurity, recently released a report detailing the best practices for the use of our mobile devices.  According to ZDNet, one of the key takeaways from this report was the importance of shutting down our phones at least once a week.

Why?

Turning the phone or tablet off can disrupt the connection that hackers have on any malware/spyware that may be installed on your phone.  These malware/spyware programs are referred to as 'zero-click exploits' because they are installed on your device without you clicking to approve the installation.

Other Suggestions From the NSA

Some of the other things the experts at the agency suggest include turning off your Bluetooth connection when not needed.  This is important because hackers nearby can use Bluetooth to gain access to your device.

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They also suggest turning off your device's location services when they are not needed, avoiding public phone charging stations, and using a secure passcode that has at least six digits.

Read the entire document HERE.