You might like to think that what happens on your smartphone isn’t seen by anyone except, well, whoever is supposed to use the phone. However, hackers and scammers prey on handsets left lax in their security.
This is why you ought to take a number of measures – such as those detailed below – in order to tighten up your smartphone’s security as far as practically possible.
Buy a Smartphone Model Renowned for Security
You can indeed put yourself on the front foot by investing in a smartphone already equipped with many features potentially instrumental to your cybersecurity. The operating system that runs as standard on iPhones, iOS, comes with plentiful such features highlighted by IT Pro.
Simply switching to an iPhone could enable you to strengthen your online privacy, such as by keeping your location and camera use private – but there are many other secure mobile phones you could also consider.
Keep Your Phone’s Operating System Updated
Another good reason for especially security-conscious people to pick up an iPhone is that, at least if it was released relatively recently, it should be in line for several years of software updates – including security fixes. However, many Android handsets also allow users to regularly update the onboard OS for years.
According to figures shared by MUO, you can expect iOS devices to get four to five years of software updates, while Android phones typically provide three to four years of updates.
Update Your Browser, Banking, and Office Apps, Too
Fortunately, your particular phone might update all of these automatically anyway. If it doesn’t, make sure you keep on top of manual updates for these apps.
Otherwise, hackers could exploit known security vulnerabilities in the software – potentially leading sensitive data to fall into these attackers’ hands.
Have an iPhone? Then Turn On USB Restricted Mode
If you often charge this iPhone in a public place (think a coffee shop), on a plane, or at work, you should remember to turn on what Fox News calls USB Restricted Mode. In doing this, you would be helping to protect against “juice jacking”, where malware can be put onto a device via the USB charging port.
To activate USB Restricted Mode, go into the Passcode section of the Settings app, enter your passcode and, in the section “Allow Access When Locked”, toggle the “USB Accessories” option off.
Also, Enable Erase Data on That iPhone
In doing so, you would ensure that, if someone makes ten failed attempts to accurately enter your passcode on the phone’s Lock Screen, all of the data on this device will be automatically wiped.
To switch on the Erase Data setting, turn again to the Settings app’s Passcode section, type in your passcode, and, at the bottom of the menu that subsequently appears, toggle the “Erase Data” button to the right.
However, before doing all of this, you should also make sure you are regularly backing up all of the data on that phone – whether manually or automatically – in case this data is indeed erased.
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