Smartphones, which have become one of the most important parts of our lives, bring with them some cyber security concerns, as with most technological products. Malicious people may try to access your personal information by accessing your devices in different ways.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has a suggestion in this regard. Albanese advised its citizens in the country to turn off their phones to protect themselves from hackers.
Turning smartphones off and on once a day can be used as a cybersecurity measure, according to Albanese.
Expressing that his country should be more active in cyber risks, Albanese suggested that its citizens turn off their phones for five minutes every night. Saying that it should be repeated every 24 hours, the prime minister stated that this can be done even while brushing teeth.
So does it really work?
Turning the phone on and off every day or once a week may seem like a very simple method against cyber attackers. However, experts emphasize that it really works to prevent certain situations.
For example, cybersecurity expert from Sydney University of Technology, Dr. Priyadarsi Nanda says that regularly restarting a phone can minimize the risk. In this way, he adds, malicious applications that collect or monitor users’ data can be forcibly closed.
According to Nanda, many users are unaware that apps are running in the background. That’s why this method might work. Of course, closing applications directly instead of the phone is also an option. However, Nanda does not appear in this section; however, he emphasizes that there are applications that can only be stopped when the phone is turned off: “Restarting your phone may not protect you completely, but it can make it harder for hackers.”
There are many experts who make such suggestions, such as Nanda. Moreover, Australia is not the first country to warn its citizens about this. Earlier, the US National Security Agency published a guideline on mobile device security and stated that restarting your phone once a week can prevent hacking. In other words, although it is a time-honored method, we can say that turning your phone off and on regularly will provide you with a safer experience.
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