March 16, 2013

Is it safe to view and trade my stocks on my phone?

Q. I have the android Galaxy Nexus, just wondering how secure it is. For instance if I get the scottrade app and want to trade stocks with that will it be safe? When I'm connected to an open wifi can people steal the information off my phone and steal my stock and along with it my credit card information?

A. open wifi, no. its not hard at all to monitor traffic in an open network with, say, wireshark. im sure scotttrade uses encrypted packets (fun fact, facebook does not, easy passwords there) but there is still stuff you might want to keep to your self. i would trust the 4g in the phone over a open network.


Is it safe to view and trade my stocks on my phone?
Q. I have the android Galaxy Nexus, just wondering how secure it is. For instance if I get the scottrade app and want to trade stocks with that will it be safe? When I'm connected to an open wifi can people steal the information off my phone and steal my stock and along with it my credit card information?

A.


Is it safe to view and trade my stocks on my phone?
Q. I have the android Galaxy Nexus, just wondering how secure it is. For instance if I get the scottrade app and want to trade stocks with that will it be safe? When I'm connected to an open wifi can people steal the information off my phone and steal my stock and along with it my credit card information?

A. The app might protect you some.. I don't know it. Read the specifics on your ScottTrade app.

Generally, if you are using an open WiFi access point, then anyone around you.. and especially the folks who set up the access point ( do you know them?) .. can monitor and even record anything moving in or out of that access point.

Phones also have bluetooth commonly turned on.. this is another possible way to hack info from your phone.

BUT.. this is probably (almost) as safe as using a laptop on a network. The site should be HTTPS (secured web page), so there is encryption there.
If you use good- strong passwords;
don't share them;
don't use the same password for your mail, stocks and bank accounts
if you keep an eye on your finances .. check every line of each transaction
and keep an eye on your phone usage

then you can minimize the risks.

You should be able to use some kind of two-factor authentication with your bank and with ScottTrade. Two-factors, meaning if you want to make a sizeable change in your investment stance (you set the threshold) , then they put the transaction through - but hold it pending a confirmation. That can be a phone call, you give them a verbal PIN, maybe they need to call a separate number or you need to answer a text message with a code..
The first authentication is you getting on the website with your password.
The second authentication should be something that isn't going to be in or in your phone.

I also suggest getting a security program ( like - but maybe not exactly Norton's) that allows you to remotely erase the phone if you lose it.
Then --- backup your data, and practice the emergency erase once or twice so you see how it works.. and you get to see how good your data backups are.


Is it safe to view and trade my stocks on my phone?
Q. I have the android Galaxy Nexus, just wondering how secure it is. For instance if I get the scottrade app and want to trade stocks with that will it be safe? When I'm connected to an open wifi can people steal the information off my phone and steal my stock and along with it my credit card information?

A.





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