With more than half of the world’s population using smartphones for browsing the net and doing just about everything, smartphones define our online identity. They store a huge amount of our personal and financial information, so it’s crucial that we protect and secure them.

Unless we set up some basic security layers, we’ll be vulnerable on any smartphone we use, regardless of its operating system or brand.

How to Keep Your Phone Data Safe

Making your smartphone more secure is absolutely necessary for 2022. You can do that by using it properly and creating some essential security habits to prevent exposing yourself and your data.

So, here are several things you can do to keep your smartphone and data safe.

Activate a Screen Lock

No matter how simple this may sound to you, it’ll significantly enhance the security of your mobile phone. Making sure that your smartphone auto-locks itself after, let’s say, 30 seconds will prevent intruders from accessing your data.

You should also consider setting up an automatic wipe on your device after ten failed login attempts. This can be very useful in case you forget your phone and someone finds it, or if someone steals it from you.

In general, pin codes are easiest to breach so use either a pattern or fingerprint for locking your screen. For iPhone users, a face ID is the best option. If you leave your phone unattended and without a screen lock on it, all other security layers will be practically useless.

Ensure Your Phone Software Is Always Updated

Hackers abuse vulnerabilities in mobile operating systems which is why phone updates exist. Keeping your phone software updated reduces the risk of your mobile device being hacked. So stop ignoring those notifications for updates as they are essential for your phone security.

The longer you use your phone without making the latest update, the longer your phone data is exposed to malware. Therefore, do not turn automatic updates off or use outdated software on your smartphone. If you want to make your phone more secure, make sure you acquire the latest version of the OS available.

Mind Your Apps

With smartphone malware on the rise, your phone can easily end up with ransomware or adware via apps if not chosen and managed properly. Luckily, there are some things you can do about apps to avoid being infected.

For example, when looking for an app, make sure it’s from an official app store and not from ads, torrents, or blogs. Also, don’t allow the installation of suspicious third-party apps as they can be infected with malware.

Another thing you can do is pay attention to the permissions for the app you’re installing. For example, a bell app doesn’t need to have access to your contacts or photos to work.

To make this easier for you, you can use any tool or app specialized in analyzing the permissions requested by an app before downloading and installing it, so it can warn you of potential security threats. And, make sure your apps are updated regularly.

Use Mobile Proxies

Private mobile proxies add an extra layer of security to your internet connection, so using them will keep your smartphone and data more secure. A mobile proxy is an intermediary server that connects your mobile device to the internet via a different IP address.

This way, you have a protective barrier between your phone’s IP address and your online activity. They allow you to browse the net, download an app, and use your email, messenger apps, and social media accounts without revealing your true IP address and location. With them, you can be sure you visit any site or app anonymously.

While private mobile proxies are the most anonymous and secure proxies of all as they are not shared with anyone, you can also try using free proxies if you are on the budget. This info might be useful if you want to find a good free proxy list.

Beware of Phishing

Cybercriminals use various phishing techniques to steal your identity, withdraw money from you, open credit card accounts in your name, etc. They do this by making you click on suspicious links you didn’t ask for or links you don’t know where they will take you.

Downloading suspicious attachments via your messenger or email can also make you a victim of a phishing attack. While avoiding all this may seem easy, it’s really difficult because it relies on deception.

What you need to do is inform yourself about all the types of phishing attacks so you can recognize them and avoid them. One thing to keep in mind is to avoid clicking on short, suspicious links you didn’t ask for.

To Sum Up

No matter the brand or operating system of your smartphone, it can still be a target for hackers who want to get to your sensitive data and use it for their own purposes. Therefore, we highly recommend you take these tips into consideration so you can make your phone and your data more secure.

Source: Plato Data Intelligence: PlatoData.io