Cybersecurity expert highlights mobile device vulnerabilities

https://www.gulfcoastnewsnow.com/article/cybersecurity-mobile-device-hackers-online-safety/70754112

Publish Date: 2026-03-16 10:45:00

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Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.

Cybersecurity expert highlights mobile device vulnerabilities

THAT’S YOUR FORECAST FROM GULF COAST WEATHER. JIM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHTS. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR PHONE? ARE YOU GETTING VIRUS? IS ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON AT? WELL, ACTUALLY, YOU NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CAREFUL THAN YOU THINK RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE SIERRAS, TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT, CEO JOHN JOYCE HERE WITH US IN STUDIO TELLING US HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT NOT JUST OUR GRANDMAS OR MOMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ARE SAFE ON OUR PHONES, BUT WE’RE BEING SAFE AS WELL TO. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US ON. APPRECIATE SIR. >> OKAY. SO OUR PHONES, EVERYONE THINKS THEY’RE SECURE. EVERYONE THINKS THAT WE’RE FINE BECAUSE IT’S PULLED ADVICE OR, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGY FROM SAMSUNG, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT IT’S REALLY SAFE FROM VIRUSES ITSELF. NOT AT ALL. THEY’LL HAPPILY TELL YOU IT’S THE PERFECTLY SAFE PLACE TO DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE. AND IT IS TRUE. IT’S DIFFERENT THAN USING A WINDOWS PC OR EVEN THE MAC OR THINGS LIKE THAT. >> YOU YOUR MOBILE DEVICE IS DIFFERENT FROM A COMPUTER. THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S SAFE. >> WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR WITH SOME OF OUR DEVICES? BECAUSE A LOT OF US THAT MIGHT BE OUR MAIN COMPUTER THAT WE’RE USING, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE’RE STILL VISITING OUR REGULAR WEB SITES ON THERE. IF WE THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF HOURS, I WOULD WAGER TO SAY THAT MOST PEOPLE THERE THEIR SMARTPHONE RIGHT HERE IS THEIR PRIMARY COMPUTING DEVICE. SURE, THEY’VE GOT MAYBE A DESKTOP OR LAPTOP AT WORK OR THEY MIGHT HAVE A REAL COMPUTER HOME. THEY USED TO ORGANIZE PHOTOS RIGHT ABOUT THE HOURS WE SPEND ON THESE DEVICES. THAT IS THE PRIMARY COMPUTING DEVICE FOR MOST PEOPLE. >> THAT’S A SHOCKING WAY TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU KNOW. AND THEN WE’RE TOLD WHILE IT’S SAFE, OKAY, GET VIRUSES GET THAN JUST NONE OF THAT’S TRUE, ESPECIALLY SURE THAT WHAT WHAT IS ON THOSE DEVICES? IT’S YOUR DIGITAL FINGERPRINT. EVERYTHING EVER TAKEN YOUR PHOTOS, YOUR BANKING AIRING RIGHT THERE. ONE DEVICE YOU DON’T WANT TO GIVE THAT WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN IT IS BEING HACKED? SO TYPICALLY IT’S NOT THE DEVICE ITSELF. OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN GET RIGHT ON HIS DAY OR THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS SAMSUNG, APPLE, GOOGLE, THEY DO PASS THESE THINGS VERY QUICKLY. SO THE FIRST THING IS, MAKE SURE YOUR DEVICES UP TO DATE. YES. IF YOU’RE RUNNING THE LATEST OPERATING SYSTEM, THE LATEST UPDATES, YOUR CHANCES GO WAY, WAY DOWN OF HAVING THOSE ISSUES. THEY STILL EXIST BUT THEY GO WAY DOWN. BUT WHAT STARTS TO LOOK LIKE HE’S MAYBE IT SLOWS DOWN THE LADDER APP. START LOADING WRONG ARE WE START ONE AS YOU START SEEING OUR REPLIES, THE MESSAGES YOU DIDN’T SEND NOW MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, IT’S NOT YOUR DEVICE THAT WAS COMPROMISED SINCE THE SERVICE IS RUNNING ON THAT DEVICE. YOUR E-MAIL ACCOUNT MAY HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED MAYBE IMPERSONATING EUROPE, YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND SENDING FRAUDULENT MESSAGES. STEPHANIE, ABOUT THE SERVICES THEMSELVES. THE PHONE IS STILL YOUR PHYSICAL TOUCH POINT. BUT THOSE SERVICES EXIST UP IN THE CLOUD ON SERVERS ALL OVER THE WORLD. OKAY. SO THERE’S A COUPLE WAYS THAT WE CAN PREVENT THIS. OBVIOUSLY THE EASIEST ONE MIGHT BE USE A LANDLINE. YES, YOU JUST CHOOSE NOT TO PLAY. BUT ABOUT THAT BEING THE PRIMARY COMPUTING DEVICE. THAT’S WHAT WE PRETENDING. IT’S 95 PROBABLY ISN’T GOING TO HELP VERY MUCH IN THE LONG RUN, OK? SO WHAT? THERE ARE OTHER APPS SO THAT WE CAN TURN TO THAT MIGHT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE PROTECTION. THAT REALLY IT’S THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THE FLU, RIGHT? YEAH. YOU CAN DO ALL THE RIGHT STUFF. WASH YOUR HANDS. YOU KNOW, DON’T DON’T BE AROUND LARGE CROWDS IN SO THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THOSE THINGS AND STILL GET SICK. RIGHT? SAME GOES WITH YOUR DEVICES. YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE RIGHT SOFTER. YOU CAN DO ALL THE RIGHT THINGS YOU CAN STILL GET A VIRUS. YOU CAN STILL GET YOUR E-MAIL COMPROMISES. BAD THINGS CAN STILL HAPPEN. BUT IT’S ALL ABOUT LESSENING THE RISK DOING THE RIGHT THINGS. SO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE ON PUBLIC WI-FI, MAKE SURE USING A VPN. THAT’S THAT’S MANDATORY AT THIS POINT. AND THEY’RE EVEN ONLINE NOW EASY TO FIND. THEY’RE VERY INEXPENSIVE. USED A PAID ONE, THEIR FREE ONES OUT THERE. BUT HE WAS A PAID WHEN THEY’RE BETTER PROTECTING YOUR DATA AND YOUR INFORMATION ENCRYPT ALL THE TRAFFIC COMING ON AND OFF YOUR SO WATCH OUT FOR THOSE ON PUBLIC WI-FI NETWORKS TAX TIME TIP, BY THE WAY, NEVER, EVER, EVER WORK ON IT. AND NOW THEY’RE ALL THE TAX OFFICE PRETTY MUCH DONE ONLINE THESE DAYS. NEVER DO THAT ON STARBUCKS, WI-FI OR, YOU KNOW, AT THE AIRPORT TO DO IT ON A SAFE NETWORK. SO ON, THINK ABOUT BP ENDS AND THEN WE GET THOSE OF US HAVE USED COMPUTERS FOR OUR LIVES, ARE USED TO HAVING THINGS LIKE ANTI-VIRUS AND WHATNOT ON THOSE DEVICES WERE NOT USED TO THINKING ABOUT THAT ON THE PHONE, THOSE APPS DO EXIST FOR THE PHONE AND CAN ADD A LOT OF PROTECTION FROM NAMES YOU’VE HEARD OF LIKE TOTALLY THE AND NORTON THINGS LIKE THAT. THE SAME COMPANIES WE’VE BEEN USING FOR DECADES ELSEWHERE EXIST ON THE PHONE, J TRANSPORT AS WELL TO INVOLVING MARCUS SUPER EASY. WHEN YOU THINK STOPPED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THERE’S AVAILABLE FOR IT MAY BE IF WE WANT TO SEND THIS TO OUR GRANDMA, OUR MOM, IF THEY WERE WATCHING HERE WHO ARE WORKING, WE TURN TO TO GET MORE INFORMATION HEAD OVER TO THE RESOURCES PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE, SARAH DOT COM. WE DO BLOG POST THESE THESE STORIES ARE ALWAYS KEPT THERE FOR REFERENCE DOWN THE ROAD. AND THEN ON OUR WEEKLY PODCAST, ASSAULTS A PODCAST. WE TALK ABOUT THIS KIND OF STUFF EVERY WEEK THAT AND IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO BECAUSE AGAIN, YOUR PHONE IS YOUR PRIMARY COMPUTER MONEY OF US ARE USING RIGHT MAKE SURE THAT YOU GO CHECK OUT THIS. YOU CAN FIND MORE UP ON THE GULF COAST NEWS APP FOR CIRRUS TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANTS AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH

Cybersecurity expert highlights mobile device vulnerabilities

Updated: 10:45 AM EDT Mar 16, 2026

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Cybersecurity threats to mobile devices are on the rise. John Joyce, CEO of CRS Technology Consultants, joined “Good Morning Gulf Coast” to address the growing concerns and offer solutions to protect your devices.First, Joyce dispelled the myth that iPhones are immune to hacking, saying, “Hackers can breach any device that’s connected to the internet.”The only way to flat-out prevent hacks, according to Joyce, is by using a landline, noting that all connected devices, including Apple and Android, are at risk. But, in the 21st century, a landline is closer to an antique than a tool. So, instead of guaranteeing you won’t get hacked, Joyce showed us ways to get ahead of hackers and protect our devices.Joyce recommended several measures for cell phone users to protect their devices: installing a VPN, allowing automatic software updates, avoiding clicking links from unknown senders, enabling multi-factor authentication, and downloading apps only from official app stores. For antivirus protection:iPhone: – Overall: Security – Phishing protection: Norton – Value: TotalAV – Scam Detection: Guard.io Android:User Friendliness: NortonID protection: AuraThreat Protection: Guard.io”The best apps are not free, but worth every penny,” Joyce said.For more information, Joyce pointed to CRS Technology Consultants’ online resources page. There, you can also find their weekly Solid State Podcast.WATCH THE FULL SEGMENT ABOVEDOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Cybersecurity threats to mobile devices are on the rise. John Joyce, CEO of CRS Technology Consultants, joined “Good Morning Gulf Coast” to address the growing concerns and offer solutions to protect your devices.First, Joyce dispelled the myth that iPhones are immune to hacking, saying, “Hackers can breach any device that’s connected to the internet.”

The only way to flat-out prevent hacks, according to Joyce, is by using a landline, noting that all connected devices, including Apple and Android, are at risk. But, in the 21st century, a landline is closer to an antique than a tool. So, instead of guaranteeing you won’t get hacked, Joyce showed us ways to get ahead of hackers and protect our devices.Joyce recommended several measures for cell phone users to protect their devices: installing a VPN, allowing automatic software updates, avoiding clicking links from unknown senders, enabling multi-factor authentication, and downloading apps only from official app stores. For antivirus protection:

iPhone:
– Overall: Security – Phishing protection: Norton – Value: TotalAV – Scam Detection: Guard.io Android:User Friendliness: NortonID protection: AuraThreat Protection: Guard.io”The best apps are not free, but worth every penny,” Joyce said.For more information, Joyce pointed to CRS Technology Consultants’ online resources page. There, you can also find their weekly Solid State Podcast.WATCH THE FULL SEGMENT ABOVEDOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.