HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ANDROID SMARTPHONE FROM HACKING?

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR ANDROID SMARTPHONE FROM HACKING?

At a time when smartphones have become more democratic, they have an increasingly important place in the lives of consumers. One of the reasons this phenomenon is becoming widespread is that telephones offer services that go far beyond their original function.

Initially dedicated to ensuring communication between individuals, these devices have far exceeded this role. While the practical aspect is often in the spotlight, there are dangers. Indeed, while smartphones are becoming more and more efficient, they are also easy prey for piracy. While smartphones contain more and more information, protecting your data is essential. To avoid unpleasant surprises, here are some tips to secure your Android smartphone.

Protecting your smartphone, why is it important?

With the arrival of smartphones and applications, the possibilities offered by telephones are no longer being counted. Browsing the Internet, checking the weather or playing games are examples. But the phones aren’t just about that anymore. And it is, in particular, the development of Internet use on mobile phones that allows this inordinate growth.

Like smartphones, apps are actually experiencing incredible growth. Their number on the Google Play Store is in the hundreds of thousands. With so much software, the nature of the applications also varies widely. Thanks to apps, the elements of everyday life are thus present on consumers' smartphones. Whether it is banks, operators, social networks or merchants, everyone proposes its application.

But with this quantity of services available, it is also the data that users inform in the applications that multiply. Smartphones thus centralize passwords, bank details and other personal documents. And that is why it is necessary to pay the utmost attention to the security of your phone. To ensure the confidentiality of this data, several means are available to consumers.

Protect access to your Android phone via passwords

In order to protect its device as best as possible, it is necessary to restrict its access. In most cases, telephones offer to do so using a password. If in the past, the latter only consisted of figures, it is now possible to opt for other means of protection.

Protect phone access with a password:

Some devices offer the possibility to unlock access to the phone via drawing. As with a written password, it is important to be discreet when plotting a password. However, in order not to fear that his password will be spotted by someone who could misuse it, other forms of security have been developed.

Thus, unlocking by fingerprints seems to be democratizing. More and more manufacturers are equipping their smartphones in this way. The possibility of recording several prints is also a real asset in terms of practicality. On the same principle of enhanced security, another means is proposed. This is the iris recognition system, which tends to become more democratic and is just as secure.

Protect your phone’s files or folders:

If not all of them, some of the phones also protect access to files. For phones that do not include this option, applications to encrypt data are available. Once the smartphone is unlocked, it is necessary to enter other codes in order to be able to access certain files.

As far as possible, it is therefore also advisable to restrict access to each type of file. If the files are important, so are the contacts. In order to preserve his relatives and his entourage more generally, securing access to the coordinates is therefore essential.

Smartphone and data security: mistrust of apps
As mentioned earlier, Android smartphone apps are available in disproportionate amounts. Of course, many of them meet a real need, but for others, the utility remains subjective. With an ever-increasing number of apps in smartphones, it is indeed necessary to question their provenance.

While application developers are extremely numerous, not all software should be trusted. Some of the available apps may indeed contain viruses and be harmful to the smartphone. To get an idea of the reliability of apps, consulting the reviews left by users can be a good indicator. When downloading an application, the conditions of use and access requested by the software must also be rigorously checked.

However, caution does not stop once the application is installed. For simplicity of use, most consumers decide to use a common password for each app. This is a mistake to avoid. If someone became aware of the codes used, all applications would be threatened. But beyond a common password, it is above all the fact of registering passwords and identifiers that are not recommended.

Public Wifi, Bluetooth, web browsing and e-mails: important risks
Securing access to the telephone and ensuring the choice of the programs installed on it are decisive steps. But other elements help protect your Android smartphone from hacking.

Do not connect to public Wi-Fi:

It is important not to connect to any Wi-Fi networks available in public spaces. If their access is easy, the risk of being hacked by logging in is real. In general, it is, therefore, advisable to settle for its mobile network. If it is too weak to navigate the web, it is better to wait until you can use your own Wi-Fi network.

Beware of Bluetooth activation:

You have to be vigilant about activating Bluetooth on your smartphone. Letting it activate is like exposing yourself to an external threat. In order to enhance the security of its terminal, it is, therefore, preferable to disable it when its use is no longer necessary.

Browsing the internet without taking risks with a VPN:

Beyond the network used to navigate the web, it is the navigation itself that must be careful. For more security, using a VPN can be a good alternative. These Virtual Private Networks do offer the advantage of not leaving traces when browsing.

On the Google Play Store, there are many applications dedicated to this effect. However, you should not choose this solution by chance. A recent study has indeed shown the dangerousness of some of this software. For greater safety, it is advisable to opt for a paid service.

The unwanted e-mails:

As mentioned, web browsing can be dangerous, but this is also the case for emails. While most e-mails that jeopardize the security of the device are most often found in unwanted ones, some fall through the cracks. In this case, it is essential not to click on the links contained in these emails, at the risk of being taken away from personal information.

Install an antivirus and update its software

To ensure the longevity of your smartphone and the protection of your data, it is important to keep your device up to date. Smartphone upgrades are therefore among the most important elements. These are aimed in particular at correcting bugs but also and especially at correcting safety failures. Failure to keep its system up to date can, therefore, be a major source of problems for data protection. On the other hand, another component of the device’s security is the use of an antivirus.

If they are not infallible, they provide additional protection. Also available on the Google Play Store, this type of software is to be chosen rigorously. Among the most renowned, Avast. Widespread on computers, this antivirus is the most interesting alternative for smartphones running Android. Other systems such as Avira Free Android Security and Norton Mobile Security are also products to advise.

Note that to avoid data loss, it is necessary to regularly backup the files present on your smartphone on an external medium. For extreme cases, in case of loss or theft of a smartphone, procedures can allow preserving the files. In the case of a phone running Android, it is the Wheres My Droid app that is suitable. The latter makes it possible in particular to locate its device. In addition, it is also possible to delete the files present on the internal storage and on the micro SD card.