Nowadays, it is hard to imagine work and private life without a smartphone – we use it to answer emails, check and edit documents, connect to Internet banking, browse social networks, and do many other things. And this means that often we also store important information on the phone; if your phone is hacked, the security of which experts in the field of technology recommend taking care of in advance. Here are four tips to help protect the data stored on your phone.
Beware Public WiFi
The ability to surf the Internet on free WiFi networks is very convenient, but this should be done with caution. Internet banking or websites where you need to enter your passwords and other electronic services related to sensitive information are best used through the mobile Internet provided by the operator or at home.
Public WiFi is for everyone. That is, it can be available not only to you but also to someone with dishonest intentions. Using the same free internet network, an attacker can connect to your device and gain access to the information stored on it. Note that the chance of such data being leaked can be reduced by setting your smartphone settings to prevent your phone from automatically connecting to other devices on the network. For security reasons, you should also turn off the automatic connection of Bluetooth or GPS if you do not use them.
Security is especially important if you like to gamble online. As the gambling industry is developing rapidly, more hackers want to take advantage of this fact and steal users’ funds. If you play casino online for real money, make sure you do not gamble on the public Internet, as hackers can expose the information.
Use Complex Passwords
In modern phones, the password performs two tasks – it not only physically locks the device but also encrypts the information stored in it. The more complex and longer the password, the more difficult it is for hackers to gain access to the data stored in the smartphone.
In addition, if you store particularly confidential information on your phone, you can make sure that it is deleted in advance if the smartphone suddenly ends up in the hands of intruders. In the security section of the phone settings, it should be noted that all data on it should be deleted after a certain number of unsuccessful login attempts.
The notion that biometric solutions are the most secure – disabling the device with a fingerprint or face recognition – is misguided. If the information is valuable, and an experienced hacker will figure out a way to get it – duplicate your print from any surface you touched, or use your photograph.
Use Antivirus
We are used to the fact that antivirus programs are installed on computers. However, various malicious viruses can also infiltrate mobile devices. Some of them get into the phone with free applications downloaded from unofficial sites. Others are distributed without user intervention. In order to protect your smartphone from them, you should take care of the proper software in advance.
Trusted apps, Backups and Other Security Measures
Before you download any application to your phone, check the feedbacks of other users about it. Avoid downloading suspicious software of unknown origin. Another tip – for all the important data that is stored on your phone, back up regularly. Delete other data regularly. If an attacker gets access to your phone, he will not have anything to steal since all the information important to you will be stored in some cloud or on your hard drive.
At least once a month, clear your phone’s storage of apps or data that you no longer need. This will make your phone not only run faster but also more secure.
