Category: Safety | Internet Security

Smartphones store all our private accounts and data in one place. This makes them prime targets for hackers. Everything from banking to email and social media connects through your phone. So, if a criminal gains access, all your apps become easy targets for theft.

We’ve done the research and will be breaking down the signs that your phone has been hacked, the potential risks, and how you can protect your device.  So, let’s not waste another moment and dive in!

How can someone hack my phone?

Phone hacking typically strikes when a target clicks an infected link or wanders into an unsafe website. Hackers employ social engineering, clever techniques, and exploits to breach security. This nefarious method is effective on both Android and iPhone devices.

Let’s delve into the common tactics hackers use to infiltrate your phone.

Phishing

Phishing is a cunning cyberattack that ensnares victims with deceptive tactics. It tricks you into clicking dangerous links and downloading questionable attachments. Depending on the data they snatch, hackers can infiltrate multiple accounts and devices, even your mobile phone.

Tracking Software

Tracking software keeps an eagle eye on your device’s every move. While web tracking can be harmless, it may morph into spyware. This malicious technology can be wielded by hackers or even family members, threatening your privacy and data.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Bluetooth devices and WiFi can put your phone at risk. Avoid connecting your phone to unknown Bluetooth and WiFi sources. You should also earn how to spot if your Bluetooth is hacked and check the most secure types of Wi-Fi connections.

SIM Swap Attack

A SIM swap attack occurs when criminals trick your mobile provider into giving them a new SIM card. They use personal info they’ve stolen or found on social media. This gives hackers access to your phone number, texts, and calls.

The main aim of a SIM swap attack is to access your bank or accounts through 2FA texts. To protect yourself, set a strong security question with your provider.

USB Cable

Counterfeit USB cables can secretly send data to a hacker’s computer. These fakes often look just like real Apple iPhone cables. Always buy phone accessories from official stores, and don’t use cables or hardware from people you don’t trust.

Trojans

A Trojan appears to be a legitimate app but hides malicious code that can harm your device or steal info. Apple rigorously checks apps on their App Store, but Trojans are more common on Android. Avoid installing untrusted apps and use one of the best antivirus software tools to catch any threats.

Cryptominers

Cryptominers use your device’s power to create cryptocurrency. When done without permission, it’s called cryptojacking. Even legitimate cryptomining apps can overheat your phone or compromise its security in other ways.

Finding out that your phone has been hacked is scary. Your first priority is to identify the breach and secure your device. After that, you need to learn how to remove a hacker from your phone. To regain control and protect your sensitive data, it is important that you follow the right strategies.

10 signs your phone is hacked

Cybercriminals are constantly improving their skills. They make detection a tough challenge. With a quick move, they can disable your phone from afar. Stolen data often vanishes into the dark web, leading to identity theft. Luckily, some warning signs can help you find out if your phone is compromised:

1. Pop-ups

If you see many pop-up ads, your phone may have adware. If this continues even with ad-blocking on, it could indicate a hack. Avoid these pop-ups and never click on them, as it could worsen the issue.

2. Unrecognized texts or calls

A hacked phone can send messages to all contacts. If a hacker has compromised a friend’s phone, yours might be next. Check your call logs for strange activity. If you see an unknown number, block it and report it as spam.

3. High data usage

If your data use has increased but your online habits haven’t changed, it may be a sign of hacking. Malicious apps running in the background can lead to high data use. Review your apps and remove anything suspicious.

4. High battery drain

Is your phone begging for a charge more often? If your battery seems to vanish faster than a magician’s trick, it could be those unwanted apps at play. They might be siphoning off your phone’s resources and leaving your battery depleted.

5. Hot phone

Does your phone feel hot even when you’re not using it? While prolonged use, like streaming or gaming, can cause overheating, persistent heat could signal malicious software at work.

6. Reduced performance

If your device is crashing or rebooting without warning, unwelcome malware might be the culprit.

7. Websites look strange

A hacked phone can redirect you to harmful sites. Visiting unsafe websites can lead to hacking. Fake sites can look like real brands such as Samsung or Apple. Check for an SSL certificate on the site. If it’s missing, you may have landed on a cybercriminal’s page.

8. Unexpected charges on your phone bill

If your bill is higher than usual, you might face unexpected charges from unwanted apps. Fleeceware apps can inflate your bill, and if someone has remote access to your phone, they might misuse your subscriptions.

If you see unknown subscription fees, cancel them and delete any infected apps.

9. Changes to Settings

Spotting unexpected changes in your phone’s settings? Hackers can manipulate permissions, eavesdropping on your calls via camera or microphone. If you discover odd changes to privacy or security settings, consider it a glaring red flag.

10. Unrecognized Apps

If unfamiliar apps appear on your phone, they could be unwanted guests. A mysterious app might signal a hacker’s handiwork. Some apps, known as bloatware, come pre-installed on new devices. Thus, not all strange apps are questionable, but vigilance is important.

Final Thoughts

If you think your phone is hacked, act right away to remove the hacker and secure your device. Cybersecurity is an ongoing effort. The more proactive you are, the less likely you’ll fall victim to a phone hack. Stay safe, stay alert, and keep your phone protected!

Top feature image by freepik

Keeping our children safe at school is a top priority for parents, teachers, and school leaders. In today’s fast-paced world, effective safety measures are crucial. Thankfully, technology provides tools to create a safer environment for students. Many options are available, including physical security and advanced technology.

It’s important to use modern tools and practices to ensure the safety of our children. School safety continues to evolve, and adopting new security measures can reassure parents, educators, and students. A proactive approach helps create a secure learning environment for everyone.

Here are some essential security tools that can improve safety in schools.

Access Control Systems

Access control systems are essential for school security. They control who can enter the school using keycards, fingerprint scanners, or codes. By managing access, schools can monitor who is on campus and prevent unauthorized people from entering.

For instance, only teachers and registered students can access certain areas. This keeps outsiders out and helps security staff quickly identify anyone who does not belong. With effective access control, everyone can feel safe in the building.

AI Security Solutions

AI security solutions are changing how schools handle safety. These security solutions for schools analyze data from different sources to spot potential threats early. AI algorithms watch for normal behaviour and alert security staff if something unusual happens. This proactive approach helps keep schools safe.

With facial recognition technology, schools can identify people on campus and notify authorities if someone unauthorized is present. AI makes it easier for security teams to respond quickly by continuously analyzing surveillance footage for signs of risk.

Emergency Communication Tools

Clear communication is vital during an emergency. Emergency communication tools like mass notification systems help schools share important information quickly. These systems can send messages through text, email, or public address, ensuring everyone receives crucial instructions during emergencies.

These tools are essential during unexpected situations like severe weather or lockdowns. Quick and clear communication keeps students and staff safe, making these tools necessary for any school safety plan.

Surveillance Cameras

CCTV cameras are a standard security option in schools. They serve two main purposes: deterring vandalism or violence and providing evidence if an incident occurs. Today’s video systems offer high-quality images and let staff monitor activities in real time.

Surveillance cameras help identify intruders and make students and staff feel safer. Knowing that someone is watching over them allows the school community to focus on what’s most important: education.

Visitor Management Systems

Keeping track of who comes in and out of a school is important for safety, and visitor management systems help schools monitor guests efficiently. When visitors arrive, they check in using tablets or kiosks and get badges with their names and photos. This easy process helps school staff quickly identify authorized visitors while tracking everyone on campus.

These systems also help during emergencies. Schools can quickly check visitor logs to ensure everyone is accounted for if something goes wrong.

Mobile Safety Apps

In our digital world, mobile safety apps can quickly improve school security. Many apps have emergency buttons that allow students or staff to alert authorities with one click. They may also include location tracking to help in emergencies.

Students can use these apps to report concerns anonymously, encouraging them to speak up. Mobile safety apps enhance communication between students and security personnel, creating a stronger safety plan.

Physical Barriers

Sometimes, simple physical solutions work best. Installing fences, gates, and barriers around school grounds can keep unwanted visitors out. These measures create clear boundaries, signalling that the school is off-limits to non-registered people.

Having accessible emergency exits, securely locked doors, and well-placed barriers can also improve safety. Using physical barriers and technology creates a strong defence strategy to protect students.

Training and Drills

Using the right tools is just part of keeping schools safe. Training and drills are also essential. Regular safety drills teach students and staff how to react in emergencies, whether they’re natural disasters or lockdowns. Being prepared for school emergencies is crucial.

To create a safe environment, everyone needs to know their roles during crises. Schools can involve local law enforcement in these drills to strengthen relationships and improve community safety understanding.

Mental Health Support Systems

Mental health support is essential for school safety. Access to counsellors and mental health resources helps create an environment where students feel safe to share their worries. Programs that focus on mental well-being can prevent crises by addressing issues early. Including mental health awareness in safety plans ensures that emotional and physical safety are important, leading to a healthier school community.

Incident Reporting Systems

A good incident reporting system allows students and staff to report safety concerns without fear of punishment. These systems let people anonymously report suspicious behaviour, bullying, or other safety issues. Encouraging open communication helps schools tackle problems early, creating a culture of safety and trust. An easy-to-use reporting system shows that the school values input from the community and is dedicated to keeping the learning environment safe.

Students are exposed to many online threats that can put their personal information and school data at risk. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) principles offer simple solutions to these growing challenges. This article explains how schools can use GRC frameworks to create safer digital environments for students.

By understanding these strategies, parents, teachers, and administrators can work together to protect young learners as they explore their online education. The approaches discussed here will help schools strengthen their digital defenses without needing technical expertise.

Understanding GRC in School Settings

GRC might sound complicated, but it’s about three basic ideas that help schools keep students safe online. Governance refers to the rules and policies schools set for how technology is used. Risk management is about finding possible threats before they become big problems. Compliance ensures that schools follow the laws that protect student information.

Many online safety platforms already use these principles to make schools safer. Digital safety needs a full approach, not just one part of the solution. Modern platforms combine these three principles to provide better protection for student data and online activities, and grand.io is an example of a platform that integrates these principles to enhance digital security in schools. It helps schools streamline their security measures while ensuring compliance with regulations, making it easier to manage risks and safeguard sensitive student data.

Why Schools Need GRC Frameworks

Schools store a lot of sensitive student data, like grades, attendance records, health info, and family contact details. Without proper protection, this information is vulnerable to hackers who often target schools because they know the security systems might be weak. GRC tools made just for schools help address this problem.

These platforms give school leaders an easy way to watch for possible threats and keep track of everything happening in their systems. As more students use technology at younger ages and classroom activities move online, these solutions are even more important.

Implementing GRC in School Environments

Starting With Risk Assessment

Different schools face different technological risks, based on their specific systems and weaknesses. Before any safety measures are added, schools need to assess where their risks are and how to address them. Schools now partner with experts to run system checks that identify vulnerabilities in their networks.

By reviewing these reports, administrators can find ways to make their security stronger.

Building Appropriate Policies

A school requires policies that bridge access requirements with protective measures. The policy should specify which technological devices and steps for addressing breaches when rules get violated. Educational institutions should revise their policies frequently, so they continue to match the latest technological developments and security needs.

Teachers along with school staff should help develop the rules because their feedback provides rules that are practical and understandable. Regular meetings help to make sure these policies stay effective as things change.

Training All Stakeholders

Even the best policies can fail without proper training. Everyone who uses school technology—students, teachers, staff, and administrators—needs regular training to understand digital safety. The training should teach both technical skills and decision-making when it comes to online safety.

The training materials should be age-appropriate for students but still cover important security ideas. Interactive lessons are usually more effective than just reading a list of rules, and they help create good safety habits that last.

Key Components of Student Cyber Safety

Identity Protection Measures

Schools need to take strong steps to protect students’ identities online. This includes creating strong password policies, using multi-factor authentication, and performing regular checks to prevent unauthorized access to student data. Many school districts have central systems that help manage these safety measures.

Schools should consider using digital safety platforms that follow GRC principles to better protect students’ identities.

Data Access Controls

Not every staff member at school should be able to see all student information. With a proper GRC system, schools can set up different levels of access, making sure each staff member only sees the information that’s relevant to their job. This reduces the chances of data being exposed or stolen.

Many digital safety platforms now come with easy-to-use tools for managing these access levels. Schools looking for strong protection should choose platforms that let them adjust who has access when staff changes occur.

Incident Response Planning

Schools must have clear plans in place to handle security breaches quickly. GRC frameworks include detailed steps for what needs to be done when a security incident happens. These plans help minimize damage and allow schools to react effectively.

Schools also hold practice drills that simulate security emergencies to prepare staff. All computer-related incidents, no matter how small, must be documented so that schools can spot patterns and fix issues before they get worse.

Comparison: Traditional vs. GRC-Based School Cybersecurity

Measuring Effectiveness of GRC Implementation

Tracking Key Metrics

To see if their cybersecurity measures are working, schools need to track things like the number of security incidents, how fast they respond to threats, how well staff follow policies, and how successful training programs are. These numbers help schools understand how well their protections are working.

Regular security audits help to check if a school’s digital safety is improving. Technology directors should measure things before making changes so they can track progress. Checking these numbers every few months helps spot areas that need more attention.

Continuous Improvement Process

Since cyber threats change all the time, schools must regularly update their safety plans. The best school districts keep improving their security by regularly assessing, adjusting, and strengthening their measures. This ensures their protections stay up to date. Technology committees should schedule regular reviews of all GRC components to make sure that policies, training, and technical controls are keeping up with new risks and technology.

It’s important to document all updates so schools can remember the changes, even when staff members leave or change.

Conclusion

Using GRC principles greatly improves student cyber safety in today’s digital classrooms. This approach combines clear rules, proactive risk management, and following laws to protect students. GRC doesn’t just focus on technology—it also looks at the importance of people and policies in creating a safe environment.

By using these strategies, schools show their commitment to keeping students safe online while also supporting their learning. This balanced approach ensures that technology enhances education without putting students at risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What specific aspects of GRC principles protect student privacy?

Students benefit when GRC frameworks establish precise guidelines that specify data collection processes as well as storage and permission systems. Privacy laws get enforced through such frameworks, so schools implement digital systems that track every data access by their personnel.

2. Teaching staff fulfills what function in the domain of cyber safety governance?

Teachers serve as crucial personnel who protect against digital threats in daily school activities. Learners’ technological activities are checked through constant monitoring processes as teachers demonstrate safe internet practices while reporting relevant incidents. Teachers contribute to realistic classroom policy creation by implementing practical assessments that produce important feedback.

3. How can schools implement GRC principles with limited budgets?

Schools can start by focusing on the most important areas, like password management and access controls. There are many free or affordable resources available for schools, and regional educational service centers can often provide shared resources to reduce costs.

In today’s progressively digital world, cybersecurity is a bigger issue than ever before, specifically for companies contracting with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).  Furthermore, cyber threats are becoming more advanced, and the protection of confidential information is paramount in order to keep a nation safe.

That is where the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) comes in.

Ideally, the CMMC program is aimed at ensuring that defense contractors and companies dealing with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Federal Contract Information (FCI) are in accordance with necessary cybersecurity.

However, achieving CMMC compliance would seem daunting, but dividing it into systematic steps makes the process smoother.

Image by freepik

This guide outlines seven major steps in order to successfully navigate your company through CMMC compliance.

1. Understand CMMC Requirements

The initial and primary step in seeking CMMC compliance is understanding what is included in the framework.

The CMMC model comprises a number of maturity levels, with associated cybersecurity processes and practices necessary in order to protect CUI and FCI. There are three such levels in CMMC 2.0.

Level 1 (Foundation) entails basic cybersecurity hygiene controls to protect FCI. Next is Level 2 (Advanced), which is derived from NIST SP 800-171 and prescribes the implementation of 110 controls to protect CUI.

Lastly, Level 3 (Expert) is reserved for organizations handling the most sensitive level of information and entails compliance with advanced security requirements, including a subset of NIST SP 800-172.

Each level is a step above the previous one, with increasing cybersecurity requirements. Thus, companies need to choose the level they need to obtain based on the information and the DoD contracts they hold.

However, not meeting the level required could disqualify them from eligibility for specific government contracts, and compliance is a business-critical need.

2. Conduct a CMMC Readiness Assessment

Once you know the CMMC requirements, the second step is assessing your current cybersecurity stance. A CMMC readiness assessment determines the gaps between your existing security practices and your desired CMMC-level requirements.

A readiness evaluation typically includes:

• Identifying sensitive information within your business and where it is stored and processed.
• Evaluating existing security controls and comparing them with CMMC specifications.
• Conducting a risk assessment to identify threats and potential vulnerabilities in your systems.

This assessment is a compliance guide and instructs firms where they need to improve in anticipation of a CMMC evaluation.

Image by freepik

3. Develop a System Security Plan (SSP)

A System Security Plan (SSP) is a fundamental document required for CMMC compliance. It describes a company’s policies, procedures, and controls in safeguarding CUI and FCI. An SSP formulated correctly demonstrates a company’s seriousness about cybersecurity and makes assessors observe how security controls are in practice.

Moreover, an SSP would typically include a summary of organizational infrastructure detailing such items as structure within a network, hardware, and software.

Additionally, it comprises a comprehensive list detailing the current security controls and how they are deployed, updated, and maintained.

4. Implement Required Security Controls

After identifying gaps in the readiness evaluation and capturing security policies in the SSP, the next step is implementing the required controls. These are protection against threats in the cybersecurity field and are in accordance with the CMMC model.

Key measures include access control to restrict system access to authorized personnel, multi-factor authentication (MFA) to enhance login security through multiple identity verifications, and encryption to safeguard confidential data both in transit and at rest.

Effective implementation requires a combination of technological solutions, policy enforcement, and employee education to maintain a secure environment.

5. Train Employees on Cybersecurity Best Practices

Even the most advanced security controls are ineffective if employees are unaware of cybersecurity best practices. One of the most frequent reasons for breaches is human error; thus, cybersecurity training is a key component of CMMC compliance.

Employees should be trained in how to identify phishing and social engineering threats, how to handle Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) correctly in a bid to avoid unwanted exposure, and how to use strong password procedures.

Periodic training enforces the use of good security procedures as well as creates a security-mindful work environment.

Image by freepik

6. Perform Continuous Monitoring and Internal Audits

Cybersecurity is not a one-time effort but a process that requires constant monitoring and evaluation to maintain ongoing compliance with CMMC. Therefore, continuous monitoring is necessary to identify and address potential threats in a timely and responsive way.

A key feature of continuous monitoring is regular security audits. These audits assess the effectiveness of controls in place and whether they align with compliance mandates and emerging threats.

Another crucial feature is the ability to leverage real-time threat intelligence with the help of security information and event management (SIEM) tools.

7. Schedule and Pass the CMMC Certification Assessment

The final process for achieving compliance with the CMMC is preparing and taking the official examination with a qualified third-party assessment organization (C3PAO). This examination involves the assessment of documents like the SSP, interviewing necessary employees for assurance of cybersecurity processes, and technical tests for evaluating the security controls.

Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

Wrapping Up

Becoming CMMC certified is a significant step for companies dealing with sensitive government information. Although the process could seem intimidating, the process is made simple with these seven major steps.

Moreover, familiarizing yourself with CMMC mandates, doing a readiness evaluation, developing a System Security Plan, and taking the certification exam collectively aim for a sound cybersecurity position.

Beyond compliance, these actions serve to establish a better secure and resistant infrastructure against threats in the cybersecurity space.