Troubleshooting Mobile OS & Application Security Issues | CompTIA A+ 220-1002 | 3.5

By Tech Gee on December 20, 2020

In this video you will learn how to troubleshoot mobile operating system & application security issues.

Common Symptoms

Signal Drop/Weak Signal

The easiest way to mitigate a signal drop or a weak signal on a cellular device is to simply move to a different location to pick up a stronger signal or adjust how you hold the phone. If cellular connections are good outside the office or home but poor inside, a cellular repeater can help improve performance.

Power Drain

If a device has the screen brightness maxed out in addition to having too many apps running at the same time, that could result in the device having a power drain. To mitigate a power drain issue, simply dim the screen’s brightness & close out apps that are not being used. When a cellular device is out of range of a signal, placing the device into Airplane mode will also help to minimize power drain.

Slow Data Speeds

Some factors that can result in slow data speeds:

No connection to a cellular network: Check the device’s network indicator to determine its network connection type.
A weak cellular or WiFi signal: If possible, switch to a stronger SSID signal.
“Unlimited” data plan speed caps after reaching speed or data limits per billing period: Check the device’s data usage & set up data usage warnings to display when your device reaches a certain threshold, or switch to a different plan that offers more data.

Unintended WiFi Connection

Some WiFi hotspots allow for mobile devices to automatically connect, which can be risky because these hotspots are not secure connections. To disable this feature, check the WiFi settings on your smartphone.

Android:

Settings > Connections > WiFi > More > Advanced > Disable Auto Connect

iPhone:

Settings > WiFi then turn off Ask to Join Networks

Unintended Bluetooth Pairing

To prevent a mobile device from pairing with unknown devices:

Turn off Bluetooth when you are not using it.
Ensure the mobile device requests a code from a device trying to pair with it.

Leaked Personal Files/Data

If a mobile device is lost, to prevent personal files and/or data from being discovered:

Enable encryption.
Enable options to lock/wipe the device in case of loss.
Avoid connecting to open WiFi networks.
Use a VPN connection if you must use an open WiFi network.
Disable WiFi tethering or connection sharing services if not in use.

Data Transmission Over Limit

To check to see how much data your mobile device is using in order to avoid data overages which could result in additional charges to your bill:

Android
- Settings > Connections > Data usage
- Ensure Set Data Limit is turned on to present you a warning to prevent exceeding data limit
iOS
- Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Usage
- Disable any apps that should not be using cellular connections

Unauthorized Account Access

Implement two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized account access to your social media, banking, or other accounts that can be accessed by way of your mobile device.

Unauthorized Location Tracking

To prevent location tracking within in an iOS device:

Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services
Turn of Frequent Locations & clear history

To prevent location tracking within an Android device:

Settings > Personal > Privacy and Safety > Location > Locating Method > GPS Only

Keep in mind, there are third-party apps that can be used to perform location tracking without the authorization of the device user.

Unauthorized Camera/Microphone Activation

Third-party apps do exist that can gain access to a mobile device’s camera or microphone without the permission of the user of the device. Some of these apps are legitimate and offered in Google Play or the App Store and they are usually marketed towards parents & organizations that want to keep tabs on the individuals using their phones.

High Resource Utilization

To reduce CPU, memory, and storage usage on mobile devices: