Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

The smartphone has become a vital part of people’s lives. More than just a device that makes phone calls, it can access financial, medical, and personal information. It is often used as a “second factor” in multi-factor verification, for example, with Duo Security.

Because your phone is so important, be sure to secure your device and the information it contains.

Start with your phone provider and make sure that your SIM card, either physical or an eSIM, is secured from SIM swapping. Set up a PIN to prevent unauthorized number porting so your phone number can’t be moved to another phone provider without your permission.

Enable locking your phone using a PIN, swipe pattern, or biometrics such as fingerprints or Face ID.

Enable security for any applications  on your phone. This is especially important for financial apps such as Venmo, PayPal, CashApp, or your bank or credit card apps.

Many smartphones have options for you to back up their contents, so if your phone is damaged, lost, or stolen, you don’t lose photos and important information like contacts.

If your phone has an option for tracking and locking a lost phone, such as “Find my...” use that option. That way if your phone is lost or stolen, you can lock the device remotely so it can’t be used.

Finally, be mindful about who has access to your phone. Don’t let strangers access your phone.

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For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead.