Since the advent of mobile phones, the fairy tale of solving all problems by switching it on and off has been there. It has not only plagued the entire globe, but at times proven to be the solution. The uncertainty revolving around the efficacy of this solution has made this solution to be a double edged sword. At an instant, it can save you from embarrassment as it fixes an electronic device, however, it can also prove to be a cause of embarrassment as someone who believes in a fairy tale where science is the man.
Contrary to popular belief, this act can be a life saver when fighting against some sort of malware as recent developments in the mobile phone industry has changed the way malwares were targeted. In the olden days, hackers programmed malware specifically to be long lasting and efficient over copying. This allowed these tools and software to make copies of itself and attach to almost every file in the computer making it near impossible to get rid of such files. Similarly, when it came to early smart phones, a similar strategy was applied to plant the malware and extort the user. However, as the smart phones developed and people realized the level of addiction associated with it, almost 50 percent of smartphones were never getting switched off.
As a result of not letting the battery drain from our phones, hackers have capitalized on this need of mobile phones by creating software that does not require much space nor need to last after the memory is refreshed. Therefore, if a mobile phone is switched off, its RAM is flushed and so is the malware. However, there are still malwares out there that work on the old system but since most malware are sitting the RAM, switching your phone on and off might be the best solution to get rid of most of the problem.
This method was recently introduced in US Congress to the members of parliament and even though this fairy tale does not work against state sponsored or high level cyber security activity, this works effectively and efficiently against the likes of malware that are encountered every day on the internet. Practicing this every week at least twice is bound to reduce the threat of a serious malware attack.
In an era where cyber security is considered a myth and state sponsored hacking and intel gathering is at an all time high, these little measures are all that can be implemented in our every day life to protect our privacy and solidify the boundaries in person and online as well.
Read next: CheckPoint’s Recent Mid Year Report Reveals Astonishing Figures For Ransomware
Contrary to popular belief, this act can be a life saver when fighting against some sort of malware as recent developments in the mobile phone industry has changed the way malwares were targeted. In the olden days, hackers programmed malware specifically to be long lasting and efficient over copying. This allowed these tools and software to make copies of itself and attach to almost every file in the computer making it near impossible to get rid of such files. Similarly, when it came to early smart phones, a similar strategy was applied to plant the malware and extort the user. However, as the smart phones developed and people realized the level of addiction associated with it, almost 50 percent of smartphones were never getting switched off.
As a result of not letting the battery drain from our phones, hackers have capitalized on this need of mobile phones by creating software that does not require much space nor need to last after the memory is refreshed. Therefore, if a mobile phone is switched off, its RAM is flushed and so is the malware. However, there are still malwares out there that work on the old system but since most malware are sitting the RAM, switching your phone on and off might be the best solution to get rid of most of the problem.
This method was recently introduced in US Congress to the members of parliament and even though this fairy tale does not work against state sponsored or high level cyber security activity, this works effectively and efficiently against the likes of malware that are encountered every day on the internet. Practicing this every week at least twice is bound to reduce the threat of a serious malware attack.
In an era where cyber security is considered a myth and state sponsored hacking and intel gathering is at an all time high, these little measures are all that can be implemented in our every day life to protect our privacy and solidify the boundaries in person and online as well.
Read next: CheckPoint’s Recent Mid Year Report Reveals Astonishing Figures For Ransomware
