Hi, do you feel safe having brokerage app on your phones? I had one installed since my brokerage is mobile 1st and UI is the cleanest but after I put some money in it (not much but significant or me) I don’t really like that someone could steal my phone from my hand while unlocked and potentially access it… I’m planning to use my tablet for this purpose or computer to log in only at home but market is open during working hours when I’m not home so it would limit my possibility for trades.

Of course I’m not talking about checking account but the long term fund for retirement

  • brainwashed@feddit.orgEnglish
    0·
    30 days ago

    Any mobile banking app will not simply let users do everything just because the phone is unlocked. There will be explicit biometric or pin requests.

    I do feel comfortable with this, but I also install all security updates on day one they are available.

  • blitzen@lemmy.caEnglish
    0·
    30 days ago

    Same can be said for your phone having a browser and brokerages and banks being accessible via browser.

    Make sure the brokerage/bank logs you out after a few minutes of activity, and has password or biometric verification for things like transfers or adding new external accounts (surly all do), and you’ll be fine.

    Further, is your phone not locked at all times when you’re not using it? If I put mine down, it’s locked for for whoever picks it up unless it’s me and the biometric (faceID) authenticates that it’s me and unlocks automatically.

  • dhork@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    30 days ago

    Features vary by brokerage app, of course, but many apps build in additional controls for withdrawals besides just log in once and do everything"

    • Even if you are logged in, putting in a transaction may require re-verifying the 2FA

    • Even if a fraudulent sell order is somehow initiated, transfers of funds out are often limited to pre-validated accounts. If a fraudulent actor tried to withdraw to a different account , there would often be a verification step which would involve further 2FA

    • While it might be annoying to have to wait for transactions to clear, that’s actually a protection for you. If you start getting random 2FA requests that you didn’t initiate, just contact the broker and let them know, and they will probably freeze the whole thing. They can probably unwind transactions due to fraud, but only if you contact them before they clear.

    I, personally, am much more comfortable with brokerage apps on my phone than storing a credit card on my phone, because those can create transactions with NFC, while there is a lot more security on the brokerage apps.