The iPhone Browsing Mistakes That Are Making You Susceptible To Hackers, Security Experts Warn

Mistakes happen — and they happen easily when you’re using your phone or computer day in and day out. It’s easy to get comfortable and slip up, whether that means doing a little online banking and shopping on a public Wi-Fi network (when you swore you’d never) or re-using the same password for four websites because you can’t fathom creating yet another complex password. 

It’s important to stay on top of your game though because iPhone mistakes can leave you susceptible to hackers. Tech Security Expert Vladimir Fomenko, the director and founder of Infatica, says there are a few things you might do wrong when browsing on your iPhone that could make you vulnerable to hackers. Keep these common mistakes on your radar. 

Not keeping the apps on your iPhone up to date is one of the most common mistakes, according to Fomenko. “Instead, hackers can use holes in outdated software to get into your device and steal private information,” he warns. Play it safe by always taking the time to update any apps that require it. 

“Another mistake is using passwords for your iPhone and online accounts that are weak or easy to figure out,” Fomenko says. “With the advent of Intelligent AI tools, one can easily guess and break weak passwords and access personal information. To stop this from happening, you should use strong, complicated passwords that are hard to guess or crack.”

Another common mistake is to connect to public Wi-Fi networks that are not safe, Fomenko warns. “For example, hackers can easily access public Wi-Fi networks and use them to steal private information like login credentials and credit card numbers,” he says. “To avoid this, you should avoid linking to public Wi-Fi networks or use a virtual private network when you do.”

Not all website and app developers have good intentions. If you don’t recognize a website, don’t take any chances. “Getting and installing apps from sites you don’t know or trust can make you more open to hackers,” Fomenko says. “For example, these apps could have bad code that could make your iPhone less safe and let people steal your personal information. Instead, you should only download and install apps from reliable places like the App Store to avoid this.”

Stay alert when you are using your phone or computer and don’t fall prey to these very common mistakes.