For your safety

Nowadays we keep a lot of private information on mobile devices (phones, smartphones, tablets), which is used not only for communication (calls, text messages, and e-mails), but increasingly also for various online and bank payments.

It may happen that while you left your mobile device unattended for just a few moments, someone managed to use it to send premium-rate text messages, causing unwelcome financial “surprises”, or transferred all of your personal data to another mobile device. If you are not cautious, your device might become infected by malware quite quickly – and then it will be controlled by someone else.

To reduce risks that are related to unauthorized use of your mobile device, we recommend to activate an automatic locking function and set an unlocking password. Always indicate after how much time your device should be automatically locked. Locking will prevent not only unauthorized use, but also malicious access to most of the information and software.

If you use the MOBILE PAYMENT function, locking of the screen is mandatory, as well as the use of a PIN code to activate your SIM.

If the mobile device is switched off, it can be switched on only by its owner, who knows the PIN code of the SIM card. Locking/unlocking of a screen is related to the protection of a switched on device. Fore safety reasons we recommend to chose a screen-lock PIN that differs from the SIM PIN. 

Usually, activation and change of the screen-lock PIN and the SIM card PIN is performed in the Safety section (or similar) of your menu.

Find out more about the use of SIM cards and PIN codes.

If you use online banking, beware of fake Internet addresses and make sure that you open only the genuine address of your bank (e.g. m.seb.lv) with a valid security certificate.

When you download mobile apps of banks, use only secure sources – Google Play, App Store, etc. Never save confidential information in your mobile device (e.g. PIN codes of payment cards, access passwords, etc.).

If you are offered to install a software or its update, when you open an Internet page, it is quite possible that it is an attempt to install malware in your device.

Use only safe sources to install software, e.g. Google Play, App Store – they do not provide a 100% guarantee, but significantly reduce risks.

Malware may cause serious harm to a mobile device.

• Your device may be integrated into a network controlled by malicious individuals (s.c. botnet) and used for online offenses (DDoS attacks, spamming, etc.), increasing the load of your computer and Internet connection, undermining the Internet and computer usage experience of the lawful user, and increasing the costs of data consumption.

• Your device may be used for the theft of user’s passwords and usernames, threaten his or her online identity (e.g. in social media), jeopardizing the networks used by this user and even accessing his or her accounts in online banks and other financial institutions (PayPal, Webmoney, etc.).

• If the device has a SIM card, the malware may arbitrarily and secretly send premium-rate text messages or call to premium-rate or foreign numbers, causing financial loss.

We are ready to provide advice to our customers about security issues, but you are still responsible for the protection of your device against malware and other security risks.

Malware may be downloaded into your device not only in very obvious, but also hidden and unnoticeable ways. You can reduce the risk that you device will be affected by malware by applying several precautionary measures.

• Do not give your device to other people, especially if you do not know them well, as they may install malware or spyware in your phone either intentionally or accidentally.

• Install software, its parts or updates only from official sources (Windows Update, Google Play, Apple iTunes) and do not install software from questionable sources.

• Do not use hacked (pirated) software and do not perform the s.c. “jail break”, as these software or “jail break” tools often contain malware. This may also cancel your guarantee.

• Use antivirus and anti-spyware software.

• Update OS and software on regular basis.

A very large number of Internet sites is available online, but not all of them are appropriate for children and adolescents. To restrict access to inappropriate sites (violence, pornography, etc.), you can use the s.c. Internet content filters or parental control programs.

See more information at www.esidross.lv or the Content filters section.