FCC online smartphone security checker – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Skip to main content

FCC releases online ‘smartphone security checker’ to help customers set passwords and back up data

A “10-step smartphone action plan”

A “10-step smartphone action plan”

iPhone PIN code unlock
iPhone PIN code unlock
iPhone PIN code unlock
T.C. Sottek
is executive editor who has obsessed over headlines and internet speeds since 2011. He previously worked as an advocate for the National Park System.

The FCC is reaching out directly to consumers with a new tool, launched today, that gives smartphone owners a security checklist for Android, iOS, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone devices. Citing a 350 percent-increase in “mobile security threats” since 2010, the agency says that the new checker is intended to “help consumers protect their mobile devices this holiday season.” The checker allows users to select their OS of choice, and then spits out a bulleted list of tips for, among other things, setting PINs and passwords, installing apps from “trusted sources,” installing patches, and being “smart on open Wi-Fi networks.” The tool is available now on the FCC’s website.

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.