Shopping for a pre-owned cellphone doesn’t must imply compromising your safety – take these steps to take pleasure in the advantages of cutting-edge expertise at a fraction of the associated fee
09 Dec 2024
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5 min. learn
The trendy smartphone has grow to be an indispensable piece of expertise. These highly effective, pocket-sized computer systems allow us to do the whole lot from hailing cabs to consulting with our native physician. However prices might be prohibitive. Unsurprisingly, second-hand and refurbished gadgets have grow to be an more and more well-liked possibility, offering entry to premium expertise at a fraction of the value and interesting to budget-conscious shoppers or these looking for sustainability.
Smartphones are additionally typically among the many most desired presents throughout the vacation season. The most recent fashions could also be out of attain for a lot of as a result of their excessive worth, so second-hand telephones current a extra reasonably priced possibility for gift-givers.
Additionally, any folks improve their smartphones throughout the vacation season, both as presents to themselves or as a result of they’ve acquired a brand new cellphone as a gift. This creates a secondary marketplace for pre-owned gadgets as they promote or commerce of their outdated fashions.
The important thing downside isn’t figuring out what situation these gadgets will arrive in. To keep away from unwittingly exposing your self to cyber-risk, take day trip to contemplate the next suggestions.
What are the dangers of pre-owned telephones?
Due to persistently excessive rates of interest and inflation throughout a lot of the Western world, second-hand telephones are more and more commonplace. The truth is, gross sales generated over $13bn globally within the first quarter of 2023 alone, up 14% yearly, in accordance with one estimate. In a mature market just like the UK, 1 / 4 of all telephones bought in 2023 have been reportedly second-hand or refurbished.
But this comes with sure cybersecurity dangers. These embrace:
Outdated software program
Some gadgets could not be supported by the producer, which means the underlying working system doesn’t obtain software program updates. That’s dangerous information from a safety perspective, because it implies that when vulnerabilities are discovered by researchers or menace actors, your system received’t get a safety patch to repair it. It’ll successfully be uncovered to attackers. One 2020 research within the UK discovered that just about a 3rd of fashions being resold have been not supported with safety updates.
Malware
In some circumstances, a earlier proprietor could even have (unwittingly or not) put in malicious software program on the cellphone. This can be designed to do a wide range of issues, from steal your private info and passwords to snoop in your calls and messages. It might even flood the system with undesirable advertisements or subscribe you to premium-rate providers. The top purpose is often to earn cash in a roundabout way off you, both by stealing private and monetary info to be used in fraud or digital extortion.
No refurbishment checks
Some pre-owned telephones could not have undergone the type of checks that respected second-hand sellers carry out to make sure they’re operational and working on a supported OS. This will expose you to a few of the dangers outlined above.
The right way to keep away from cyber dangers on second-hand gadgets
Mitigating these dangers takes a multi-pronged strategy, beginning with due diligence throughout the shopping for course of. That successfully means doing all of your analysis. Second-hand gadgets can be found from all kinds of sources, from producers themselves to high-street retailers, telcos, and personal sellers. Put the time in to verify the vendor has good opinions and their provide is legit. A guaranty of not less than a yr must be a baseline requirement to make sure high quality.
It is also finest to keep away from jailbroken or rooted gadgets, as these could have had safety features disabled which make them extra uncovered to threats.
Additionally, solely select gadgets which might be nonetheless supported by the producer; often, phone-makers will help a handset for not less than 2-3 years after it’s launched.
To additional mitigate safety dangers, take into account the next after buy:
- do a full manufacturing unit reset, wiping any information which will have been left on the system by the earlier proprietor, together with contacts, images, messages, looking historical past, passwords and apps,
- replace all of the software program on the system after buying to the newest, most safe model, and swap on computerized updates,
- preserve a watch out for tell-tale indicators that it could be compromised with malware, equivalent to undesirable pop-ups or advertisements, apps showing that you simply didn’t obtain, or sluggish efficiency and unusually excessive battery utilization,
- set up safety software program from a good supplier and have it scan the system for threats.
As soon as your system is up and working, take into account the next finest practices to mitigate ongoing safety dangers:
- arrange a display lock and PIN, password, or biometric authentication (face recognition/fingerprint scan) for safe entry
- backup your information and set to computerized backups to the cloud in case the system is misplaced or stolen
- delete any unused apps to attenuate your assault floor
- swap on system encryption for an additional layer of safety
- at all times use multi-factor authentication to entry your system and any software program/accounts on it
- flip Bluetooth, tethering or Wi-Fi off when not in use, to keep away from eavesdroppers snooping round
- verify your app permissions – if some apps are requesting entry to greater than is important, that must be a crimson flag
- solely obtain apps from official app shops and from respected builders
- be looking out for phishing messages and emails. If doubtful, by no means click on on hyperlinks or open attachments contained in these messages. At all times contact the supposed sender individually first, or open the message on a safer machine
- keep away from utilizing public Wi-Fi with no VPN.
In case you’re nonetheless involved about your pre-owned cellphone exposing you to safety dangers, don’t entry any delicate info or accounts when utilizing it – equivalent to cellular banking or syncing together with your company accounts. The truth is, in case your employer permits BYOD handsets within the office, there could also be a further algorithm and insurance policies you have to comply with to make sure that your second-hand system can be utilized. The dangers outlined above might be amplified if menace actors handle to make use of your handset as a stepping stone to achieve company information and techniques.
That stated, there’s no purpose why a pre-owned cellphone ought to trigger undue stress and safety danger, so long as you comply with these finest practices. And in the event you resolve handy it on to another person, bear in mind to carry out a full backup, information erasure and manufacturing unit reset.
