In 2024, 83% of phishing attacks targeted mobile devices, and mobile malware saw a 13% increase compared to 2023. As hackers get more inventive and capable, you need to pay more attention to mobile wireless security.
The problem here is that wireless security is an umbrella term encompassing an entire ecosystem of practices. To stay safe online, you need to know precisely what you’re up against and how to safeguard your devices.
What Is Mobile Wireless Security?
Mobile wireless security is a set of practices that protect your data, devices, and networks you connect to from malicious attacks and vulnerabilities that third parties can exploit. It aims to ensure complete privacy and confidentiality of data, particularly sensitive information like:
- Personal identifiers
- Banking and other payment information
- Private media
- Sensitive business information
By definition, wireless security focuses specifically on attacks that happen over the network your devices connect to. It is (or at least should be) a part of a broader security strategy that also encompasses:
- Physical device security
- Responsible handling of private information
- Internal data security policies (in corporate environments)
Since we spend much of our private and professional lives online, proper mobile security hygiene is critical to ensuring sensitive data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Sadly, making this happen is becoming increasingly challenging as the number and severity of threats grow.
Common Mobile Security Threats To Beware Of
Hackers use various strategies to access and steal personal data. The most common ones are outlined in the following table:
Many of these attacks can be further divided into subcategories according to the exact tactic used by a malicious party. For example, common types of phishing include:
- Spear phishing: Specifically tailored to an individual instead of mass-sending the same fraudulent message
- Vishing and smishing: Performed over a phone call or SMS instead of an email
- Whaling: Aimed specifically at executives and high-income individuals
Because of these nuances, you need to identify and understand the attack types you might be susceptible to and set up mobile security accordingly. Still, there are a few universal aspects of security to focus on.
5 Components of Effective Mobile Wireless Security
An effective mobile security strategy should cover the following elements:
- OS security: Besides leveraging the security features of commercial operating systems like iOS and Android, you can use mobile devices with a hardened OS that eliminates vulnerabilities like trackers and application sideloading.
- Application security: All apps you download should come from trusted developers and official sources. If an app handles sensitive information, you must make sure it implements adequate security measures (e.g., advanced encryption).
- Network security: From local Wi-Fi to cellular carrier networks, your connections must be secured through measures that prevent interceptions, surveillance, and data exfiltration.
- Endpoint security: Anti-malware software, device management tools, and various other security measures are crucial for protecting both personal and business devices (especially if network providers use lackluster security).
- Access controls: Whether you use shared devices or worry about your device getting stolen, you should protect the device with strong authentication measures to prevent malicious parties from accessing your data.
Mobile Security Best Practices To Follow
To check all of the above boxes and prevent unauthorized access to your data, you can take these steps:
- Use strong authentication
- Stay on the lookout for social engineering
- Limit app permissions
- Secure your home network
- Choose your cellular carrier wisely
1. Use Strong Authentication
In the U.S., 85% of security breaches happen as a result of weak authentication. This means that a few simple practices can prevent the vast majority of attacks.
The first and most obvious one is to use strong passwords. This includes:
- Combining uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols
- Avoiding names, important dates, and other personal information in passwords
- Using a different password for each account
- Avoiding sequences (e.g., “1234” or “asdf”)
Another common and effective way to protect your account is multi-factor authentication (MFA). You should have at least two authentication layers, which can include:
- SMS-based one-time passwords
- Authenticator apps
- Magic links
High-risk individuals who need to protect critical data can even consider hardware tokens—physical security keys used for authentication.
As tempting and convenient as they may be, password managers (especially third-party ones) should generally be avoided to minimize the risk of online attacks. If you can’t remember your passwords, write them down and store them safely.
2. Stay on the Lookout for Social Engineering
Phishing attacks can be highly sophisticated, so spotting the signs of fraudulent communication is challenging if you don’t pay attention to seemingly insignificant details.
If you’re not sure where to look, refer to this table for common red flags:
Even if you don’t notice any of the above but are unsure of an email or message’s legitimacy, don’t take action immediately. Reach out to the sender through another channel to confirm the validity of the received correspondence.
3. Limit App Permissions
Each app needs specific permissions to function, but many of them go overboard. While this is mainly done for benign (but still invasive) purposes like marketing, it creates vulnerabilities that malicious parties could exploit.
Besides downloading apps from trusted sources, review the requested permissions and approve them manually. Most operating systems let you do this when you first install the app, though you can also manage permissions from the device’s settings.
Be particularly careful about sensitive permissions like:
- Location
- Camera
- Microphone
Only allow such permissions if the app genuinely requires them to work properly. Even then, make sure to review app permissions regularly and block any unnecessary ones.
4. Secure Your Home Network
Unsecured networks can cause far more serious issues than other users freeloading on your network. It opens doors for malicious parties to hijack your network and cause various issues like:
- Spying on your communication
- Intercepting traffic
- Installing malicious software on devices
To avoid this, change the default network credentials as soon as you set up the router. Follow the same password best practices to secure your Wi-Fi network, and make sure Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is enabled to encrypt the data transmitted over the network.
5. Choose Your Cellular Carrier Wisely
Besides Wi-Fi, you likely use cellular data throughout your day. Unfortunately, you have far less control over its protection than you do with a home network. You need to rely on the carrier’s security measures, which are almost exclusively weak if you’re using one of the popular commercial telcos.
Major carriers are common targets of data breaches, and they have all suffered quite a few attacks over the years. One of the most recent and severe ones was the Salt Typhoon—a sophisticated attack that targeted all major U.S. telcos and infiltrated entire networks over a span of two years.
This shows that commercial carriers are severely underprepared for capable attacks. And yet, so much sensitive data is transferred through them daily.
Worse yet, big telcos routinely engage in subscriber tracking and extensive data collection, which includes data that isn’t necessary for service provision. While their security policies might vary, they all collect plenty of data, such as:
- Location data
- SIM data
- Device ID
- Demographic data
This information is sold to third parties, mainly for marketing purposes. It’s also stored without adequate protection, letting capable hackers access it too effortlessly.
To avoid such practices and their many risks, it’s best to step away from big telcos and opt for a secure phone service. If you’re unfamiliar with such options, you should check out Cape.
Uplevel Your Mobile Security With Cape
Cape is a privacy-first mobile carrier that uses comprehensive protections to keep your data from falling into the wrong hands. In fact, it ensures most data never leaves your device in the first place.
The service does this through a combination of minimal data collection and secure authentication. You can create an account anonymously, after which your account is secured using asymmetric cryptography. The encryption mechanism relies on two distinct keys:
- Public key: Used to encrypt your data to make it illegible to everyone but you
- Private key: Used to decrypt the data and stored safely on your device
The private key never leaves your device and is represented by a digital signature—a 24-word phrase necessary to make any major account changes. As nobody, including Cape’s team, has access to the key, only you can initiate changes like SIM ports.
Additional security measures you get with Cape include:
- Cloud-based mobile network: Cape runs its own mobile core to separate your data from big telcos and ensure all traffic is funneled through a secure network. By doing so, it replaces weak legacy architecture to safeguard domestic and international traffic.
- Enhanced signaling protection: Using the proprietary signaling proxy, Cape can detect and block requests coming from suspicious networks. This way, it offers real-time protection from interceptions and extraction of unique identifiers.
- Private payment: Cape uses Stripe’s tokenization mechanism to conceal your payment information. The token can’t be tied to any specific or personal data, so your information is fully anonymized.
- Encrypted voicemail: Voicemails are encrypted and re-encrypted with your private key, so only you can access them.
Unlimited Data, Strong Network Performance
To ensure connectivity is comparable to other major carriers’, Cape has the highest network density in the U.S. You can expect a reliable connection and solid performance across the nation, alongside the peace of mind knowing that traffic is protected at all times.
Cape only offers one plan with:
- Unlimited calls and SMS
- Unlimited 4G/5G data
- Free international roaming (for eligible devices and countries)
The all-inclusive plan is available at $99 per month and includes all federal, state, and municipal taxes and fees. There are no hidden charges or additional costs, so you won’t encounter any surprises on your phone bill.
Sidenote: Cape is currently in beta, so feature availability is subject to change.
Sign Up for Cape and Protect Your Data
Cape’s “Don’t trust us” philosophy lets you create an account without leaving any personal information—all you need to do is:
- Download the Cape mobile app from the Play Store/App Store
- Choose a new number or port in your existing number
- Save your unique 24-word passphrase
- Download and activate your eSIM
The service is only available for eSIM-enabled devices. This encompasses most modern phones.
To help you ensure comprehensive wireless security beyond your cell phone, Cape partnered with Proton, a robust solution for protecting your communication and devices. Cape subscribers can get Proton Unlimited or Proton VPN Plus for only $1 for six months.