Mobile phones are more like computers than ever before. That means all the nasty things that happen on the Web, like viruses, spam, phishing and worms — can happen on your phone. How often do you use your phone to download applications, communicate wirelessly, and surf the Internet? Threats to cellphones aren’t as common as threats to other computers — but the time is coming. USA Today reports tech research company Gartner reports that systems in need of mobile protection “vastly outnumber” sales of mobile data protection products. Experts say you have to balance functionality and risk. Just like you would on your laptop or desktop, you should keep your phone updated with the latest software and security patches.

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