Follow our 5 security tips to protect your phone from hackers in 2021
These days, our phones are much more than just communication devices. They contain all of our personal, private and financial information. Losing access to your phone or your data can have extremely negative consequences.
An average hacker can spy on your activities, steal your phone’s data, and even threaten to publish all your information online if you don’t pay a ransom. In order to protect yourself from such an unfortunate situation, it is highly recommended to improve your phone’s security.
We have compiled below 5 security tips to prevent your phone from hackers:
Regularly Update Apps and Operating System
- It is very important to regularly update your apps and operating system (OS). Updating might seem like a time-consuming task, but it is definitely worth it. The latest updates bring fixes, patches, and security updates that secure your phone from viruses and hackers.
Most people avoid updating their OS because during an update the phone becomes inoperable. A solution to this problem is to start the update process when you are going to sleep. By the time you wake up in the morning, the update will have been completed.
Avoid Sideloading Apps and Rooting Your Phone
Sideloading apps refers to manually installing apps that are not available in your phone’s app store. These are created and distributed by independent developers. Such apps promise additional features and functionality that are not available otherwise. You should be extremely careful if you wish to sideload an app. There is a reason such apps are not available on the app store. Perhaps they don’t meet the security and privacy requirements.
Sideloading apps refers to manually installing apps that are not available in your phone’s app store. These are created and distributed by independent developers. Such apps promise additional features and functionality that are not available otherwise. You should be extremely careful if you wish to sideload an app. There is a reason such apps are not available on the app store. Perhaps they don’t meet the security and privacy requirements.Rooting refers to replacing your phone’s OS with a custom-developed one. Most device manufacturers recommend against this practice. In addition to increasing your device’s vulnerability to hackers and threats, you run the risk of permanently damaging your device.
Verify Apps Before Installing Them
- It is important to verify an app before installing it on your phone. Make sure the app developer is reputable. Read the reviews to know other user’s experiences.
Remember to make sure you know what an app is going to access on your phone. You can get this information under ‘Permissions and Access’ on the app’s details in the app store.
Utilize Smart Unlock Features
- If you have unluckily lost physical access to your phone, smart unlock features are your first line of defense. These days, almost all phones now come with a fingerprint lock, face unlocks, PIN lock, and password lock. Using a combination of these unlock features can make it difficult for anyone to access your phone.
If you do not use these features, anyone having access to your phone can open up your apps and steal private information.
Avoid Using Open WiFi
- Open WiFi is free internet access that is available at restaurants, coffee shops, shopping malls, and at the airport. Most of us prefer using open WiFi because mobile data is expensive and drains our phone’s battery quickly. Since open WiFi has open access, by connecting to this network you make your phone an easy target for hackers.
It is recommended to minimize the use of open WiFi. If possible, use a VPN. A VPN can mask your online activity and protect you from data breaches.
In today’s digital world, the threats are constantly evolving. It is your responsibility to keep your phone updated so that you are not an easy target. It is highly recommended to get a security risk assessment of your phone. Outsource My IT is an IT consultancy and service provider, based in New Jersey. Our experts can assess the security risk of your phone, and suggest useful remedies to safeguard your data and privacy.
