The issue of smartphone security has been growing in urgency over the last few years. The smartphone market has grown so quickly that many new users are not aware of the risks posed by the devices.
In just a few minutes, a stranger who gets ahold of your smartphone could know intimate details of your life. Your apps, messages, address book, calendar, browser history and photos tell a story about what you do for a living, who your best friends are, where you have been and what you like to do.
If your phone were stolen or misplaced, do you know what you would do? Where would you begin to retrieve your phone, and what would you do about all the personal information stored on it? If this has ever happened to you, you know what a nightmare it can be.
It sounds really easy. The first step, however, to securing your phone, is to set a password. Most smartphone operating systems automatically lock your phone after a period of inactivity and allow you to set a password. Should you ever misplace your phone, taking this simple step will help keep prying eyes away from your data.
Unfortunately, the main reason people don't protect their phones even with an elementary passcode is because they find it a hassle. Typing in four extra digits before making a phone call or sending a text message is an unwanted inconvenience. Passwords exist to help stop cyber criminals from gaining access to your information.
Make sure you enable the remote wipe function. With remote wipe, you can remotely restore your phone to its factory settings and wipe all its data. Be prepared to initiate this, should your phone fall into the wrong hands, although it's not something you want to do regularly.
You can set your smartphone to connect automatically to Wi-Fi networks. Cyber criminals may take advantage of this by setting up fake Wi-Fi networks in popular areas to attract unsuspecting users and hijack their personal information. Consumers will often use any wireless connection available without checking if they are secure.
Downloaded apps are the easiest route into your phone for hackers. You're already taking the first step toward keeping your phone safe if you buy only from the dedicated app stores, and do not open up your phone for non-regulated software.
Currently, pirated software accounts for most malware found on phones, and comes from free apps that are distributed with malicious code by hackers. Look for the official versions to keep yourself safe.
There are also many apps that track where you are. Be sure to specify the apps that have access your location data, or you can completely turn off location services.
In just a few minutes, a stranger who gets ahold of your smartphone could know intimate details of your life. Your apps, messages, address book, calendar, browser history and photos tell a story about what you do for a living, who your best friends are, where you have been and what you like to do.
If your phone were stolen or misplaced, do you know what you would do? Where would you begin to retrieve your phone, and what would you do about all the personal information stored on it? If this has ever happened to you, you know what a nightmare it can be.
It sounds really easy. The first step, however, to securing your phone, is to set a password. Most smartphone operating systems automatically lock your phone after a period of inactivity and allow you to set a password. Should you ever misplace your phone, taking this simple step will help keep prying eyes away from your data.
Unfortunately, the main reason people don't protect their phones even with an elementary passcode is because they find it a hassle. Typing in four extra digits before making a phone call or sending a text message is an unwanted inconvenience. Passwords exist to help stop cyber criminals from gaining access to your information.
Make sure you enable the remote wipe function. With remote wipe, you can remotely restore your phone to its factory settings and wipe all its data. Be prepared to initiate this, should your phone fall into the wrong hands, although it's not something you want to do regularly.
You can set your smartphone to connect automatically to Wi-Fi networks. Cyber criminals may take advantage of this by setting up fake Wi-Fi networks in popular areas to attract unsuspecting users and hijack their personal information. Consumers will often use any wireless connection available without checking if they are secure.
Downloaded apps are the easiest route into your phone for hackers. You're already taking the first step toward keeping your phone safe if you buy only from the dedicated app stores, and do not open up your phone for non-regulated software.
Currently, pirated software accounts for most malware found on phones, and comes from free apps that are distributed with malicious code by hackers. Look for the official versions to keep yourself safe.
There are also many apps that track where you are. Be sure to specify the apps that have access your location data, or you can completely turn off location services.
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