Keeping your personal property safe often comes down to common sense and with smartphones becoming so important in our everyday lives, making sure you keep this safe is just as important as keeping your PC or Home Contents safe. Taking basic precautions will go a long way toward saving you time and money. Here are eight tips to boost the security of your smartphone and what you store on it.
1. Use a pin, password or pattern to lock your phone.
Setting this up is easy: On many Android devices, go to your Location & Security Settings for instructions.
2. Download apps only from trusted developers.
If you’re browsing for a new game or something more productive, make sure you check ratings and reviews if they are available, and read the app’s privacy policy to see exactly what phone features it will have access to if you download. Also, on Android phones, you can visit the Applications Settings and tell your phone not to install apps from unknown sources.
3. Back up your data.
This is more about protecting and restoring your information should disaster strike. You can also save your contacts, music, pictures, videos and documents to the cloud.
4. Keep your operating system and apps updated.
There are typically periodic updates to both of these that not only add new features, but also offer tightened security from newfound threats.
5. Log out of sites after you make a payment.
If you bank or shop from your smartphone, log out of those sites once your transactions are complete. Other tips include not storing your usernames and passwords on your phone and avoiding transactions while you are on public Wi-Fi.
6. Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® when not in use.
You think of them as ways to connect to something, but thieves can use them to connect to your device and access files. If you want to be really safe – these should be turned off when they are not in use. It also helps save power, so why not.
7. Avoid giving out personal information.
That text message that looks to be from your bank may not be. If you get requests via email or text for account information from any business, contact the business directly to confirm the request. The same advice goes for tapping links in unsolicited emails or texts.
8. Install security apps.
A good security app gives protection from viruses and malware and warns you before you proceed to risky websites, you’ll get App Alert to learn what personal data your apps are accessing and recovery features to remotely locate, lock, alarm or wipe a lost or misplaced device. There are many of these available, all you need to do is search the net for what people are suggesting.
If you need any help on your smartphone security then feel free to call us today on 09 4448823 or send us an email at enquiries@advancedcomputers.co.nz and we are happy to give you more advice in detail.