Anyone who has access to your smartphone today can uncover all kinds of information about you.
Modern smartphones have advanced features that connect with every aspect of our lives, so it is not surprising that many of us are obsessed with this device. We cannot let it out of our sight for long, yet it is something that frequently gets lost or stolen.
The advanced smartphone technology comes with progressive security features as well, but shrewd hackers always find ways to break through the most complicated encryptions.
The smartphone is an item worth stealing since it is no less than a Pandora box of secrets. Digital data storage is convenient, but you can never fully evade the risks of being targeted by a white-collar crime.
Someone who cannot afford a good quality smartphone might be compelled to steals yours for
themselves, or sell it for instant cash. If your smartphone isn’t protected, the job becomes a lot easier for hackers, thieves, and intruders. Here’s what you can do to safeguard sensitive data on your app and maximize privacy:
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Tips to Protect Smartphone from Hackers
1. Start with the Basics
You can start with the preliminary security feature on your phone, such as using a password, pin,
pattern, or fingerprint to unlock the phone; many new phones are equipped with facial recognition as well. This basic feature is usually enough to keep your data safe from regular intruders. If you don’t lock your screen, it is pretty much an open invitation for anyone to peek in.
2. Come up with Strong Passwords
Using the same password for every app or log-in is a big mistake; if someone figures it out, they can
literally access every account synced with your phone. Remembering a dozen different passwords might seem difficult, but the effort pays off.
Abstain from using generic passwords, such as your date of birth, or the name of a pet you cannot stop talking about. Create an alter ego to come up with a password that is almost impossible to guess.
3. Don’t install Third Party Apps
If you own an Android phone, always download applications from Google Play Store and if you have an iPhone, only get apps on the Apple store. Downloading third-party apps from unknown or unregistered sources is a deliberate breach of security. Apps that do not come from your phone’s designated app store are likely to contain malware that infects your phone’s software and make it vulnerable to all sorts of threats.
4. Do not use Public Wi-Fi without VPN
Public Wi-Fi can never be trusted because you never know who you’re sharing the network with. It is
best to use your own data to be safe, but if you absolutely need to use open Wi-Fi at a public place,
don’t do it without a VPN. The VPN will provide you with a private connection, so your device is not
detectable by hackers lurching nearby.
5. Install system updates
Enabling auto-updates on your phone will help you obtain all the latest augmentations for its system. This includes better security elements, thus you should never miss out on or delay an update.
6. Disable Lock-screen Notifications
The notifications on your lock screen can give away sensitive information without unlocking the phone. If you have left your phone lying around, anyone who checks your screen might be able to learn the gist of an important email or text message.
7. Lock individual Apps
By placing an individual lock on priority apps, you can guard your data even when an intruder manages to access your smartphone.
8. Turn on the tracking feature
Both iPhone and Android phones are equipped with the tracking feature in case they get lost. You can use a computer to pinpoint the location of your stolen phone through the synced account. You can lock your phone or remove data through your account settings.
9. Enable the self-erase feature
If you have highly confidential info stored on your phone, enable the self-erase feature in case an
intruder tries to unlock it. For example, the phone can be set to erase all memory after three wrong
attempts at guessing the lock screen pin or pattern.
10. Refrain from Auto-logins
Auto-logins are convenient and time-savvy, but quite risky. If all your apps and frequently visited
websites are accessible by auto-login, anyone who gets their hands on your phone may misuse them.
