Smartphones have been increasingly making our lives more convenient and productive. We can chat with friends, buy groceries, and send invoices to clients all from the coffee shop. With so many facets of your life easily accessible on your mobile phone, it’s essential to keep your device safe and secure.
Let’s take a look at five quick tips for helping you to secure your smartphone.
1. Use a PIN, Password, or Fingerprint to Lock Your Device
While it’s super convenient to simply “slide to unlock,” it’s just as convenient for your family, friend, co-worker or a thief. Think of all the data they would have access to once your phone was unlocked. Yikes!
Similar to locks on the door of your home, a password or fingerprint helps prevent unauthorized access to your phone’s data.
2. Download Apps from Trusted App Stores
You can help maximize your mobile security and minimize the potential for downloading malware-infected apps by choosing trusted app stores, such as the Apple App Store, Google Play, and other official app stores.
Downloading apps can make your smartphone smarter, unless of course the app has malware attached to it.
3. Backup Your Data
Smartphones are a lot like our desktop and notebook computers. Sometimes they break, or we lose them, or we get malware—even from a trusted app store. For extra peace of mind, backup the data on your mobile phone often. Chances are, you’ll be happy that you did.
4. Log Out of Shopping Apps & Financial Apps
Now that you can shop, bank, and send or receive payments on your smartphone, don’t forget to log out of these applications when you are done. While logging back in requires an extra step, it’s an extra step that limits a hacker’s access to your data. Here’s a little saying to help you remember: Don’t help hackers out, log out!
Be careful when using free Wi-Fi networks because hackers can mimic legitimate connections.
5. Don’t Forget about Wi-Fi & Bluetooth
Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when you’re not using them. Make sure that the network you are connecting to is indeed owned by the restaurant, coffee shop or business you’re visiting.
