Most people carry at least one mobile device, and many of us carry more than one each day. These devices include: cellular or mobile phones, music players, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptops and tablet PCs, and removable storage devices (like USB thumb drives).

All of these devices can be attacked or be used to carry out attacks on your computer and any other computers you may connect that device to. This section touches briefly on the ways you can safely use your mobile devices and ensure that they are secure from getting attacked or spreading attacks to others.

Cellular / Mobile Phones

Today's cellular phones come with tons of added features. Many of these features can put your phone at risk for being hacked. Hackers could get access to the files, phone numbers, pictures, or video on your phone ... or worse, they could eavesdrop on your conversations!

When using the advanced features on your mobile phone, remember that the risks of malware, viruses, and other threats are just as real on your phone. Consider, whenever possible, installing anti-virus software on your phone (especially Windows Mobile phones); and when that's not possible use common sense when downloading programs or other items onto your phone.

Below are some general reminders about safe and secure cell phone use:

• Only give your mobile number out to people you already know and trust.
• Respect your friends’ privacy and don’t give out their numbers without their permission.
• Learn how to block other users.
• Get your friends’ permission before taking pictures of them, and especially before sending pictures to someone else or to the Internet. Remember that as soon as you have sent them, you can’t control where they end up.
• Look after each other and think about what you send to people. Remember when you text you can’t see the impact your words or images will have, or be able to explain them, so it is definitely better to show respect to people.
• Never reply to text messages from people you don’t know. This includes spam.
  

Music Players
Carrying your music on a digital-player is an easy way to make sure that you have the music you want, with you at all times ... whether it is studying in the library, relaxing in your Residence Hall room, or driving back to your folks' place in the car. Digital-players are also an easy way to move viruses and other malware between computers - if you synchronize your player in more than one place. Scammers are using many different file formats to disguise their malware (like .wma, .mp3, and .ra) and if you aren't careful you could infect multiple machines with a single bad download.

To prevent this from happening, we encourage you to engage in safe downloading practices and to always scan your downloaded music files with anti-virus software before you load them onto a digital-player or copy them to a friend. Learn more about securing your music software here.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
PDAs present a newer challenge to security because of their smaller size and the limited availability of security options for them. In spite of these limitations, we ask that users of PDAs consider the following:

• Purchase and install an anti-virus software package for your PDA.
• Purchase and install an anti-spyware software package for your PDA.
• Consult your user manual to learn how to lock-down your PDA before you connect to a wireless network.
• Add a password to your PDA that is required when it turns on, to prevent data theft or to protect your information should you lose your PDA.

Laptops & Tablet PCs
Tablet PC and Laptop users are not immune to the risks associated with computing in today's mobile world. We strongly encourage users of laptops and tablet PCs to use the same precautions and follow the same guidelines as their desktop-bound friends and family. Install and keep your anti-virus and anti-malware software up-to-date. And always back-up your local hard drive to assist you should you encounter a failure of your equipment.

Removable Storage Devices
USB "thumb" and "key" drives, portable hard drives, ZIP disks, rewritable CDs, and yes, even floppy disks, are great ways to carry data with you from point A to point B. But these same media tools that make your life easy, can also carry viruses and other malware too; and this can allow for infections to spread quickly from place to place. When using removable storage devices, always scan the files you are about to transfer with an anti-virus program before you load them onto your mobile storage. When you are done working on a document at the other location, scan your entire removable storage device before you transfer any files off of it and back onto your PC. This will help to prevent viruses from jumping onto your PC from an infected alternative location.