Your phone is worth much more than the sticker price of the phone. Because of all the sensitive information it contains, it is ripe for exploitation by malicious third parties as well as nosy members of your social circles.
There are plenty of ways to protect yourself from mischief, so these are the top options available if you’re worried about what might happen to your mobile device of choice.
Find out who hacked your phone
More and more people are discovering that their device has been hacked, usually as a result of a spyware infection.
The good news is that there are security applications out there that help you identify the name of the spyware and also step in to remove it so it no longer tracks your activities.
Make use of your lock screen
While it’s possible to unlock your iPhone if you’ve forgotten your passcode, we now live in an age where you don’t even need to remember a numerical code or phrase to access your phone.
Modern devices from all manufacturers tend to include fingerprint scanners and even facial recognition capabilities, which allow you to keep your screen locked at all times, except in cases where you want to use your phone.
Turning on biometric scanning is a convenient and effective way to keep your device secure, especially if you leave it unattended around the house where curious youngsters could snag it. That way, you’ll avoid allowing any unsupervised web browsing or unsecured in-app purchases.
Keep your phone out of sight
Remotely hacking a phone is one thing, but having it physically taken from you is much more traumatic and difficult to recover from.
For that reason, it’s best to keep your phone out of sight when you’re in public places. Busy places are just as risky as isolated ones when it comes to attracting thieves, so resist the urge to check your device or even take calls until you’re in a private place out of sight.
Most mobile phone thefts are opportunistic, and if a thief snatches your device while the screen is unlocked, or even if it’s locked, the ramifications could be dire.
Also Read: Are Virtual Phones Safe?
Remote data wipe
As mentioned, a stolen smartphone could give thieves access to personal data, so knowing how to remotely wipe it is a must for modern users.
The steps involved differ depending on which device you own, but it’s pretty straightforward as long as you have access to another phone or PC that has Internet access.
This is also a good reason to back up your private files regularly, because if you haven’t and need to start a remote wipe, they’ll be gone forever.
change passwords regularly
There are a number of password best practices that should be adhered to across all online services you use, and one of them is to make sure you change your passwords regularly. That way, if one is compromised, potential hackers won’t be able to use it.
The same goes for using different passwords for different devices and services. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket and leverage the same password in more than one context, or you’ll be much more exposed.
The bottom line
It is better to assume that you will be targeted by thieves and hackers at some point, and act accordingly, rather than hope for the best and not act. Even family members can leave you in the line of fire, so being cautious makes sense.
Categories: How to
Source: vtt.edu.vn