How To Keep Your Smartphone Secure
Keeping our personal information private is a top priority for many of us, especially in a world where technology plays a significant role in our daily lives. Our smartphones hold a lot of our sensitive information from social media accounts to emails and bank accounts. Therefore, it’s essential to take proactive measures to secure your smartphone and prevent any unauthorized access. In this article, we’ll discuss five practical ways to secure your smartphone, ensuring your personal information remains private and protected.
Keep Your OS Updated
Updating your smartphone’s operating system is essential for protecting your personal information from security breaches. Failing to update your device to the latest version can leave it vulnerable to known security vulnerabilities and bugs that can compromise your privacy and expose sensitive data to cybercriminals. While some people may avoid updating their OS to avoid potential early bugs, waiting too long can harm your device’s overall security.
Turn On Two Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-Factor Authentication is a security feature that adds an extra layer of protection to your online accounts in case your password gets compromised. With 2FA enabled, after entering your password, a second verification message is sent to another device, ensuring that it’s indeed you attempting to log in. Although enabling 2FA may add a few seconds to your login process, its added security is well worth the effort.
Be Mindful of Apps That You Download
Downloading and installing apps from third-party sources can be risky, as they may contain malware or spyware. Only download and install apps from trusted sources like Google Play or Apple’s App Store to minimise the risk. Also, it’s important to read reviews and check ratings before downloading any app to ensure its legitimacy.
Avoid Public WiFi
Public WiFi networks can be convenient, but they are also a risk. Hackers can easily intercept data transmitted over public WiFi networks, making it easy for them to steal personal information like usernames, passwords, and bank card details. Therefore, avoid accessing sensitive information or logging into accounts when using public WiFi networks.
Encrypt Your Data
To protect the data on your smartphone, it’s crucial to encrypt it in case your device is lost or stolen. Encrypted data is stored in an unreadable form that cannot be understood without the appropriate decryption key. Most smartphones offer encryption settings that can be easily enabled in the security menu. For iOS devices, you can check if data protection is enabled by navigating to Touch ID & Passcode in the Settings menu and entering your lock screen code. For Android devices, ensure that your device is at least 80% charged and unrooted before selecting Encrypt Phone in the Security menu. Be sure not to interrupt the encryption process, or you may lose all your data which can take an hour or more to complete.
