Technology has come a long way over the past decade. It was in 2007 when Apple released the first iPhone and the cellular device industry has never been the same. Our smartphones are now an integral part of our lives both at work and at home. However, we store some of our most sensitive information on these devices assuming that information is safe and secure — until it isn’t. We’ve compiled a list of seven ways you can upgrade your smartphone security so that your information won’t be compromised:
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Lock your phone
There are many options available to you to lock your smartphone, including pin number, password, swipe patterns, fingerprint readers, iris scanners and facial recognition. But the most important thing is to make sure that it’s locked. Pin numbers should be at least four to six digits and passwords complicated and difficult to guess.
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Encrypt your data
Another way you can upgrade your smartphone security is through encryption. This will store your information in an unreadable format rendering it completely useless to hackers. When you unlock your phone using your method of choice, your data will automatically decrypt. Most smartphones encrypt your data by default, but in case yours isn’t, here’s a link detailing how to do it.
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Remote wipe
For those iPhone users, make sure Find My iPhone is set up in case your phone is stolen. For everyone else, there is software that works in a similar fashion. In the event that your phone is lost, this software will use a GPS feature to locate your phone, and if it is stolen, you can remotely wipe its memory so that no personal information can be accessed.
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Back up your data
There are a couple different methods to backing up your data. You can back data up using a cloud service (iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.) or you can back up to a physical device (a computer or an external hard drive) using software like iTunes or using your PC’s file explorer to drag and drop. Backing up your data will ensure that if your device becomes unresponsive or if you had to remotely wipe your phone, your personal data won’t be lost forever.
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Only download and install trusted apps
This one is easy: only download apps available through your device’s app store. Using the app store available on your device’s operating system will ensure the apps you download will not be potentially harmful to your device. Third party app stores don’t run apps through the same rigorous security processes as Apple, Google or Microsoft do. This can pose a major security threat to your device. You can inadvertently download malware, adware or even more sophisticated security threats such as ransomware.
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Update the operating system (OS)
Updating your device’s OS can be a bit annoying — especially if you don’t understand what those updates are meant to do. However, making sure your operating system is up-to-date will ensure you are receiving the most current security patches and that any potential flaws are fixed.
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Install anti-malware software
There are anti-malware apps you can download that will scan your device for any security threats and alert you of their presence. Then, once identified, you can delete the infected files. Catching these threats quickly will ensure your data stays on your device and not somewhere you don’t want it to be.
Following these steps will help increase your smartphone security. For all your other cyber security concerns contact us for your Free Security Assessment today!
