How to protect your Galaxy phone from installing smishing, pharming, and spy apps

Smishing is an electronic financial fraud method that sends a text message including a website address to the user and installs malicious code when the user accesses the website and steals the user's personal information. Through this, users may suffer damages such as micropayments. To prevent damage caused by smishing, you should follow the precautions below.

• Be wary of website links in text messages from unknown sources. (If a text message from someone you know contains a website link, check it before accessing as well.)
• Install two or more antivirus programs on the product, update to the latest version, and maintain real-time monitoring.
• Apply for micropayment blocking and restrictions.
• Strengthen the product's security settings by preventing the installation of applications from unknown sources on the product.

Mobile pharming is an electronic financial fraud method in which a fake Internet banking application is installed on a product infected with a malicious application to induce users to enter financial information and then steal financial information. To prevent damage caused by mobile pharming, follow the precautions below.

• Be wary of website links in text messages from unknown sources. (Even in the case of a text message from someone you know, if it contains a website link, check it before accessing as well.)
• Use OTP (One Time Password), security token (password copy protection), etc., and use electronic financial fraud prevention service.
• Install two or more antivirus programs on the product, update to the latest version, and maintain real-time monitoring.
• Never enter your full security card number in your banking application.
• Do not store security card photos in the product.
• When pharming is suspected, promptly request payment suspension through the police or financial institution call center.

A spy app is a smartphone application that can collect phone calls, text messages, and location information from product users in real time, wiretapping through voice recording, data deletion, and even restricting access. To prevent damage caused by spy apps, you should follow the precautions below.

• Be wary of website links in text messages from unknown sources. (If a text message is sent by someone you know and contains a website link, check it before accessing as well.)
• Install two or more antivirus programs on the product, update to the latest version, and maintain real-time monitoring.
• Use and regularly change security lock settings such as patterns, passwords, and fingerprints.
• Do not allow users to arbitrarily modify registry settings or operating system software.
• Prevent automatic installation of malicious spy apps by setting the product to not install applications from unknown sources.

To prevent damage caused by virus infection, follow the safety precautions below. Failure to observe the following may result in voiding under the product warranty.

• Avoid downloading suspicious applications.
• Avoid visiting untrusted sites.
• Delete messages and mail from unknown or suspicious senders.
• Use the password setting function and change your password regularly.
• Turn on the wireless interface such as Bluetooth function only when in use.
• If abnormal symptoms persist, check for malicious code infection.
• Check downloaded files for viruses before using.
• Install an antivirus program on your computer and regularly scan for viruses.
• Do not arbitrarily change the structure of the product platform.
• Always update the operating system and antivirus program to the latest version.