When it comes to our smartphones, many of us never think about our security when using them. It seems so unlikely that anything would happen when you’re using your smartphone, so why should you worry? Well, it turns out that there are plenty of reasons to worry when it comes to your smartphone and data safety. There are so many ways that criminals can get ahold of your personal information, steal your identity, and use that information against you. That’s why you should take the necessary steps to understand how to protect yourself against these threats.
However, you might not know how to protect yourself against these threats besides putting a password on your phone. That’s what this article is going to take you through. So, be sure to read down below and you’ll get everything you need to know about how to stay safe when on your smartphone.
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1. Use The Lock Code And Make Sure That It’s Not Just “1234”
Now, above it was mentioned that you should do more than just use a lock code on your phone to protect it. However, this really is your first line of defense when it comes to protecting your smartphone. If it should end up in the hands of someone who wants to steal your personal identity, then this could stop them from getting into your phone and taking your information. That’s why you should use a passcode that’s much more complicated than just “1234”. Every smartphone is going to come with this option to increase the security on your phone, so why would you not take this opportunity to keep yourself safe?
2. Protect Any Data Of Yours That’s Extra Sensitive
There’s a lot more to protecting your smartphone than using a smartphone case. [pullquote]It’s best for your safety if you don’t keep any super sensitive information on your phone.[/pullquote] This information should be kept in your house in files or somewhere no one has the chance to get access to it. However, if you must keep sensitive information on your phone, know how to protect it from prying eyes. For example, if you are out in a coffee shop somewhere and want to check your bank, don’t enter your password in an area where someone could just look over your shoulder. That would give them direct access to your banking information.
Another thing you should stop doing is storing all of your passwords in a Notes app or another app like that. Those apps are super easy to hack into and someone could get ahold of all of your passwords. You should use a secure app that allows you to store all of your passwords in a safe manner.
3. Don’t Use Public Wi-fi Hotspots
Every single one of us has logged onto a public Wi-Fi at least once in our lives. No matter if this is at your favorite store or at a café where you’re sitting to drink a coffee, this is a dangerous thing to do. Many people don’t understand how many dangers to your data security are presented when you use a public Wi-Fi hotspot. If someone would like to, they can hack onto the public Wi-Fi and see what you are doing on your computer. This means that if you log onto your banking account, someone would be able to get the information from you and gain access to that confidential data.
It’s best to either not log onto public Wi-Fi hotspots if you can or to not look at sensitive data while you’re using one. This is the best way that you’re going to be safe!
4. Be Aware Of The Apps You Are Using And Where You Download Them From
[pullquote]One of the absolute worst things you can do for your smartphone safety is to download apps from third party websites that are not the app store on your phone.[/pullquote] This is especially true if you are using an Android phone as these phones are much more prone to viruses than with Apple products. Always download apps from the certified app store and you’ll be safe with all of those apps. That’s because they have been properly vetted by Google or Apple and they are safe to download.
In addition to this, make sure you are aware of what you are doing on your apps and what information you are entering.
5. Don’t Be Gullible
If you get a text from some mysterious number that says you should log onto this site to claim your prize of million dollars, then you should know that this is a scam and a virus. The best way to keep your data safe on your smartphone is to not be gullible and understand when something is wrong. Your first line of defense in keeping your personal information safe is your own reasoning and intelligence.
6. Think About Getting An Antivirus Software On Your Android Phone
If you are using an Android device, then another good idea is installing an antivirus app. These kinds of apps are going to protect your phone from any viruses that may try to take hold and will help to clean up your phone so that it runs faster. This isn’t necessary on Apple devices as these phones are protected against viruses and malware in most cases.
7. Always Back Up the Info On Your Phone
And of course, this article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning how crucial it is that you back up the information on your phone. You have got to do this if you want your data to be safe in case you lose your phone or something else happens. If you keep important information like contacts and photos on your phone, then it’s best that you back it up on the cloud or on an external hard drive.
Each of these points are super important to keep in mind if you want to stay safe while using your smartphone. Which have you already heard of and which do you need to implement to improve your security? Be sure to do so if you want to be completely safe.
For more smartphone security-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, click here!
7 Simple Ways To Always Keep Your Smartphone Safe
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