Hello folks… I wrote a post about how insecure our phones may be. Today, i wanna talk about how you can make your phones secure.
Keeping your data secure on your smartphones is just as critical as securing your desktop and laptop computers.
For instance, handling banking via your smartphone on a public Wi-Fi network can leave your personal data vulnerable to attack. Leading to identity theft, stolen credit card numbers, and more.
There’s also the issue of malware, which can gain access to your smartphone via the apps you download from third-parties.
In short, there are multiple security concerns that cell phone users should be paying attention to.
Yet most fail to recognize the importance of using sound security practices.
These are some ways to keep your phone away from all these mess.
1. Lock your phone
Modern smartphones offer a variety of unlock options, including fingerprint sensors and facial recognition.
Enable the pass code access lock feature and use a strong alpha-numeric pass code.
A typical four to six digit pin can be easily cracked in seconds, while a strong nine or more character alpha-numeric pass code could take years, or even decades to crack.
When the phone is locked, it prevents others getting access to the device, and all of its data data and apps.
After you configure the lock settings you can specify the number of minutes before your phone locks. Hence, specify a short interval of only a few minutes to make sure an unattended phone is locked down if found.
Lastly, set unique passwords for each of your apps. That way, if someone does get into your phone, they’re limited to the data they can access.
2. Scan for viruses
Ransomware is one of the biggest malware threats that exist today.
And while many are familiar with the fact that it attacks computers, few know that it can attack mobile phones as well.
Given that many people keep a lot of their personal and financial data on their smartphones, they should take the necessary precautions to secure their smartphones from ransomware and other malicious technological viruses.
The solution is to be careful of downloads from less mainstream vendors and unverified sources. And to scan periodically for viruses and malware.
Lastly, download a mobile security software and properly backup your phone. That way, should your phone get infected, you can wipe and restore your phone without losing your data.
3. Don’t jailbreak/Root your phone
iPhone users have a reputation for jailbreaking their devices.
Believing that in order to get the most from their phone, they need to free it from Apple’s built-in restrictions.
Android users can do something similar, although the term here is to root the device, rather than to jailbreak it.
Never “jailbreak” or “root” a mobile device!
Malware can infiltrate, if the device is broken down. Because the user has manipulated the device’s factory-installed operating system.
From a security standpoint, the best practice is to not jailbreak your phone. Stick with the original OS to avoid exposing the phones to malware and other threats.
4. Encrypt Your Phone
With all the data that’s on your smartphone – emails, contacts, financial apps and more.
You don’t want someone else gaining access to it when the phone get’s lost or stolen
The solution is to encrypt the phone’s storage. So, the data is protected if it falls into someone else’s hands.
I’ll write a post on how to encrypt your phone soon.
These Four tips should be able to help you secure your phones if followed properly.
#StaySafe
