Electronic wallets
aim
to become the favorite means of payment for Argentines.
The convenience of not using physical money and having everything centralized on your cell phone also implies paying attention to certain aspects related to security so as not to be a victim of cyberattacks.
As revealed by a Red Link
report
on the "Use of electronic money", in the middle of last year there was a
boom in electronic wallets
: more than 1.5 million were registered, marking an
increase of 18.4%
compared to the month former.
These figures, although they expose the growing adoption of virtual wallets, among which Modo, Mercado Pago, Naranja X and Ualá stand out, are also an incentive to increase security
measures
since, the more their use grows, so do the
threats
.
Electronic wallets are increasingly used by Argentines Photo: MODO.
Virtual wallets: what are the risks when using them?
Digital wallets have
processes to safeguard information
, the problem persists in the
security applied by the user
to safeguard their data- Therefore, it is very important to inform and educate all users of personal wallets and applications about the best options to protect said information.
Diego del Castillo
, Lead Project Manager of Snoop Consulting, a local tech company, explained: "Generally we receive emails or messages requesting
information about codes
,
passwords
or
card numbers
. It is very important to bear in mind that no entity will request this type of data by message or email.
In this context, he stressed that "there are a series of cell phone security measures that we must take into account to
prevent possible fraud attempts
through digital wallets."
Here are five tips to use them safely and avoid falling victim to cyberattacks.
No company will request personal or sensitive data through a message or email.
Photo: Shutterstock.
Virtual wallets: the 5 keys to avoid being a victim of cyberattacks
1.
In the case of using several devices,
do not repeat the keys
.
Each device must have a unique key, in this way and in the case of having a compromised device, it is possible not to affect the rest.
2.
The password must be reliable, avoid using your own names or those of direct relatives, consecutive numbers, dates of birth, and the name of the dog.
In other words, do not include data that is easy to detect.
3.
Block access to the cell phone with a 4-digit pin
, remembering that they should not be consecutive numbers.
Also, if the cell phone allows it, use biometric data such as fingerprint and/or facial recognition.
In this way, the cell phone can only be unlocked with our biometric data and it will not be possible to access the device in case of theft or loss.
4.
Another protection measure is to configure the double authentication factor in the applications.
5.
Have the phone's IMEI code registered
, a unique 15-digit code pre-recorded by the manufacturer to identify each mobile device worldwide.
In the event of theft or loss of the cell phone, report it to the telephone company so that the line can be terminated and access to another SIM card.
Then, change the keys of all the applications.
“It is also important not to respond to messages that request password numbers, not to click on attached emails, messages or shared links of dubious origin and always pay close attention to the history of movements, keep a periodic control.”
added
Silvia Quinteros
, Project Manager at Snoop Consulting.
Cybercriminals
look for all kinds of information
that helps them achieve their objective, to be able to
obtain money
,
access purchases with other people's money
,
enter contacts
to request money loans and, in many cases, request personal loans online.
In this way, in the event of a hack,
loss or theft of the device,
it is important to immediately report it to the banking institutions related to wallets to cancel the applications and ensure that no one can access them.
Today companies invest a lot of money in protecting the security of wallets, to make them more and more reliable and secure.
However, as with other means of payment,
certain precautions must be taken to avoid vulnerabilities
.
As always, every time new technologies are adopted it becomes more important to learn about good security practices.
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