Your smartphone is likely to be the main device of usage. As screens have become smaller, our activities have become more centred around our smartphones and these would typically contain a lot of information about us as individuals. Such information would typically contain banking information, emergency contacts and an overview of personal interests amongst others. Keeping your smartphone safe, has never been of more importance.
Irrespective of which type of smartphone you own, there are a number of security elements you should be aware of. These include:
Protection against viruses
Similar to your desktop computer or laptop, your phone is indeed susceptible to viruses and hacking. It would be ideal to perform research and ensure that your smartphone is equipped with a solid anti-virus software.
Smartphone privacy
Your smartphone should be protected from others. This can be achieved through a password which is kept private. This keeps people such as an intrusive partner, friend, co-worker or anyone who wants to rummage through your personal items at bay.
Phishing attacks
These attacks are common amongst hackers and digital thieves. They are becoming all the more sophisticated and would attempt to lure you into downloading a virus on your phone. To defend yourself against phishing attacks, always remain suspicious of the emails and texts you receive. Delete any emails and texts that are suspicious, together with avoiding to click on any links which are sent from suspicious senders.
Securing your messages
For some reason or another, you may need to keep your messages private. There are ways how to hide your messages or encrypt your phone.
App permissions
The apps you download on your phone would collect a lot of data about you. In some cases, these can be deemed as extremely intrusive. This is why you should be careful with app permissions.
You would lock your front door right? Your smartphone shouldn’t be any different. Research shows that almost thirty percent of smartphone users do not lock their screens. It would also make sense to employ two-factor authentication where possible.
Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi provides added convenience. Using public Wi-Fi, however, leaves you exposed to hackers who may gain access to your private data.
Whilst most smartphones today come with sophisticated security technology, keeping them safe is mostly up to the users. Using common sense is critical. If a message is suspicious, there is a chance that you are being scammed.
