In the midst of a wave of spyware, the old trick of ‘restarting your mobile phone from time to time’ is no longer enough In the era of spyware and silent attacks on mobile phones, one piece of advice is increasingly being repeated: ‘restart your mobile phone from time to time’. But according to several cybersecurity agencies, this is not always enough. In fact, both the FBI and other international organisations are beginning to insist on a more radical alternative: completely turning off the device for a few minutes.
Why restarting is not always enough
For years, experts such as those at the US NSA have recommended restarting your mobile phone once or twice a week to interrupt background processes and hinder the action of possible malware. When you restart, many applications are closed and some of the malicious code is no longer executed, at least temporarily.
However, the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) warns that the most sophisticated attacks have learned to circumvent this routine. Some are capable of simulating the restart of the phone: the screen turns off, it looks like the system is restarting, but in reality the device remains on and the spyware continues to run in the background.
This type of technique has been documented on both Android and iOS: the malware intercepts the command to shut down or restart, displays a fake animation, and keeps the device operational while the user thinks it is turned off.
Switch off completely: the agencies’ recommendation
Given this scenario, ANSSI proposes a simpler and more effective measure: instead of pressing ‘restart’, switch off your mobile phone completely, leave it for a few minutes without switching it on, and then switch it on again.
This actual shutdown cuts off power to processes, forces all applications to close, and prevents malware from ‘pretending’ that the phone has been turned off when, in fact, it is still active.
Along the same lines, the FBI recommends that users turn off their smartphones periodically — even if it’s just for a few minutes every day — as an additional security measure. The key, they stress, is that it must be a complete shutdown, not just a quick restart.
What you can do in your daily life
Although no action can guarantee 100% that a mobile phone is free of threats, agencies agree that completely turning off the device from time to time helps to:
- Interrupt the activity of spyware and other code that depends on always being running.
- Reduce the attack surface against tools designed to spy on calls, messages or cameras.
- Complement other basic security measures, such as keeping the system up to date, using strong passwords, and being wary of suspicious links or files.
The conclusion is clear: restarting remains useful, but if you want to make things difficult for attackers, the simplest and most effective action is also the most forceful: completely turn off your mobile phone for a few minutes and turn it back on afterwards.
