Android Phone security is one of the most important concerns in this digital era since cyber attacks are continuously evolving in various form. You are hard-pressed to find people without their hands glued to a smartphone. In fact, statistics show that we spend hours a day communicating online using various methods.
The one aspect of online information storage that we seem to forget is the lack of Android Phone Security. Most smartphone users do not worry enough about the safety of how their personal information is stored, but fortunately, there are a few easy steps you can take towards optimum security!
Public Wi-Fi Can Pose A Security Risk
Most public places offer free Wi-Fi for your mobile device, but connecting to it may do more harm than good and break your Android Phone Security. The network is not encrypted and that means your data opens up for hackers. You can check information over a public network, but never perform any banking or send sensitive data such as your password over the network.
There are Android VPNs available for smartphones that you can install to increase your safety. However, be wary of apps that actually harvest your data and offer no protection. The VPN provider you choose should offer a legitimate way to protect your Android Phone from security threats.
Bluetooth is used by many, but very few turn it off when not in use. Leaving your Bluetooth turned on once again makes your phone vulnerable to cyber attacks. Plus, it will drain your battery life!
Update Your OS No Matter What!
Understandably, many users opt to skip updating their phone’s OS when new updates are made available. Updates are released for a wide range of reasons, but in most instances, it is to improve Android Phone Security and the overall performance of the unit. Smartphone users often make the mistake of not updating their OS as they have a fear of losing their data or wiping out a current OS that worked just fine. More importantly, newer OS updates often contain untested glitches that make it hard to work around them or impact battery power.
The other issue that many users find with Android updates is that they are impacted by the make and model of the phone in use. Not all models ever get an update and others may only receive the download weeks after the initial release. Though excuses for not downloading updates are in abundance when they become available, update your Android or iOS device! Doing so can lessen your vulnerability to malicious attacks on your Android Phone Security.
Do Add Password Protection To Your Phone!
It is shocking that many people believe it is not important to password protect their phones. In fact one third of all surveyed smartphone users by the Pew Research Center revealed they don’t feel the need to add this additional feature. Not having a password protected phone means that it becomes vulnerable to prying eyes and a thief is more likely to snatch your phone and pass it on. It also allows virtually anyone and everyone to gain access to your most private conversations.
Password protection is still the only way to protect your phone from the law! In the age of biometric identification, law enforcement can compel you to open the contents of your phone. However, you can legally keep your password private and not disclose it in a court of law. In short, choosing a biometric identifier really opens you up to many attacks.
Don’t Jailbreak Your Smartphone
Many Apple users are miffed about getting limited to downloading apps from the official Apple app store, and for this reason, they opt to jailbreak their phones to get access to Google. Unfortunately what many ignore is the Android Phone Security risks they take when their phone is downloading an app that hasn’t been vetted for iPhone. The Apple app store goes through a rigorous testing process to ensure safety before apps are released on the platform.
This doesn’t mean that dodgy apps don’t and won’t exist. All app stores run the risk of allowing smartphone users to download questionable apps. However, official apps designed specifically for your phone are less likely to cause problems. Don’t forget that dodgy apps can steal your personal info such as your banking data! They do so by installing spyware that’s virtually untraceable on your device.
