5 tips for Smartphone protection
Follow these simple tips to ensure the information on your smartphone is protected
If you have a smartphone, you now carry a fully functional computer in your pocket. That’s a tremendous amount of information at your fingertips, and it’s information that you don’t want to fall into the wrong hands. By following these five simple steps, your smartphone will be safer and your privacy better protected.
#1 Update your Smartphone
Smartphones need to be updated when security fixes are developed. While some updates simply provide you with cooler functionality and upgraded features, others fix critical security vulnerabilities that you do not want to be exposed to. Your service provider should notify you whenever an update is available, so make sure you click “update now” rather than choosing to ignore.
#2 Security Software is a must-have
The mobile malware market is booming and because few users protect these devices they are particularly attractive to hackers and cybercriminals. The security fixes phone manufacturers make to their operating systems do not protect your smartphone from other types of malware attacks. The only protection against these is to use mobile security software and keep it up to date.
Many of these programs can also locate a missing or stolen smartphone, will back up your data, and even remotely wipe all data from the phone if it is reported stolen.
#3 Manage your passwords
An effective way to minimize losses and avoid intrusions is by using a secure PIN. Be conscious of where you place your smartphone and always secure it with a unique PIN or password. But we know that creating a strong, complex password — and then actually remembering what that password — isn’t always easy. If you have trouble remembering your pin, you can now use a password management program.
The typical password manager installs as a browser plug-in to handle password capture and replay. When you log in to a secure site, it offers to save your credentials. When you return to that site, it offers to fill in those credentials automatically. And, if you’ve saved multiple logins for the same site, the password manager offers you multiple account login options. This ensures your accounts are always protected, without having to remember specific passwords for each application.
#4 Beware of free WiFi Hotspots
Many smartphone users use free WiFi hotspots to access data (and keep their phone plan costs down), but there’s no way to know if that network is safe or compromised so avoid logging into accounts, especially financial accounts when using public wireless networks. If you’re not using WiFi or Bluetooth, turn them off. Besides saving some battery life, network connections can be used to attack you.
#5 Lock your phone
It sounds so simple, but people still don’t do it. You’re more likely to get into trouble by a pickpocket snatching your smartphone and running wild with your credit-card accounts than you are from malware. What’s the best way to lock your phone? Well the good old PIN remains the safest way. Just remember to stay away from using simple patterns like 1-2-3-4-5.
Mobile security concerns are at the top of everyone’s worry list and it’s unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. By following these simple steps, your smartphone will be harder to hack and you can rest assured that your personal information and privacy is no longer vulnerable to any kind of threats.
