These Effective Ways Can Help Secure Your Android Phone
It has been nearly a decade since Android has been around us, taking the market by storm. Both expensive and inexpensive models of Android devices are available in the market, making it easier for every individual to afford them as per their purchasing power.
The thing about inexpensive and older versions of Android devices is that they may take a bit longer to receive the upgrades. Upgrades are helpful for all Android devices because every upgrade comes with new security features, patches for vulnerabilities, and other bug fixes. Staying devoid of an upgrade means the Android device will miss out on the new security features and could be exposed to cyberattacks.
When it comes to protecting your kid’s Android phone and keeping them safe from online dangers, you can always consider installing a free spy app for Android detectable on your kid’s device. In your case, you can begin by considering a few tried and tested methods to keep your Android phone secure.
Here are a few effective ways that can help you keep your Android device secure despite its version, carrier, and hardware.
Know Everything About Your Android
One of the first steps in ensuring your Android phone’s security is that you know everything about your phone. You may have been an Android user all your life but you need to sit down and ask yourself how well do you know the privacy and security settings of your Android phone?
If you think you don’t know your Android device too well then, it’s time to go through the OS all over again and re-familiarize yourself with all its default privacy features by doing some hard-core research.
For instance, you can start with searching for features such as Device Protection, Smart Lock, Find My Device, Verify Apps, device defragmentation as well as full-desk encryption. No matter which Android phone model you’re using, you will be likely to come across a performance issue once you choose the encryption feature.
Review Your Phone’s Security and Privacy Features
Once you have gone through your Android phone’s security and privacy features, it’s time for you to review them and understand how they work. Enabling these features is important because you cannot risk your phone becoming susceptible to a cyberattack.
You need to make sure your Android phone is as secure as you want it to be and for that, you need to start assessing the privacy and security features that are already present inside your device. Always ensure that your phone is locked with a PIN code or pattern. In case you haven’t locked your phone yet, you need to do it now.
Also, if the Google account on your phone lacks two-factor authentication, you need to enable it right away. Another thing that you can do protect your Android device is to get rid of all the unused and useless apps installed on it.
Timely Audit Your Android Phone
Always make it a point to review your Android phone every now and then. Typically, a user changes a smartphone every year. In case you do not change your device every year, you need to audit it timely. This can be done after every 12 months.
When you’re on it, you need to review your phone’s privacy and security settings. By doing this, you can ensure your Android phone is running smoothly, is completely free of any issues, and stays up-to-date and in order.
Install and Use Apps That Offer End-to-End Encryption
It is recommended to install and use mobile apps that offer end-to-end encryption. The good thing about using Android phones is that they already come with the Gmail app pre-installed on them. The app offers end-to-end encryption and helps you exchange information through emails without any worry.
If you are confused about sharing sensitive information through SMS messages, you can always choose a third-party app to encrypt them. However, with apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and Dust, you do not have to worry at all because they already offer end-to-end encryption for all its communication.
Turn Off WIFI and Bluetooth When You’re Not Using Them
You may not know this but several cyberattacks take place due to unsecured WIFI connections and Bluetooth features. If you are not using WIFI and Bluetooth on your device, it is better to turn them off. By doing so, you can protect your Android device from a potential online hacker robbing your device off of your sensitive information.
Do not let any person, whether an online hacker or prankster, take advantage of a WIFI connection or Bluetooth technology. You can also save your smartphone’s battery life by turning off these features when they are not in use.
Do Not Disclose Your Phone’s Location
Several apps would want to access your phone’s location; some of them would also request permission to run geolocation in the background of your phone when you are not even using the app. It is strongly recommended to limit those apps’ geolocation permission requests as much as possible.
It would be pointless to keep your location information turned on at all times, especially when you are visiting different places. If you keep this feature on, then all apps trying to access your geolocation would gain information about your whereabouts and you certainly wouldn’t want that to happen.
Do Not Connect Your Phone to a Public WIFI Network
If you frequently visit coffee shops and airports, you would be tempted to connect your Android device to the free and open public WIFI networks available there. Before connecting to a public WIFI network, you need to make sure whether or not it is legitimate. If the WIFI network requires a password to connect, then maybe it’s safe. You can always ask the coffee shop waiter for the password and connect your device to it.
However, connecting your Android phone to an open and free WIFI network can be a huge risk. It can expose your device’s information to outsiders, especially online hackers. Somehow, public WIFI networks make it easier for hackers to hack your device and obtain all the important data stored in it.
Therefore, you need to stop connecting your device to the public WIFI networks. If connecting to a public WIFI network is absolutely necessary as you want to get something done urgently and are left with no other option, you should consider using a mobile VPN solution.
Install Android Monitoring Software
In case you are looking for ways to protect your kid’s Android smartphone from potential online dangers, you should also consider installing an Android monitoring app on their device. With the help of the best spy software for Android, you can keep a check on all the important activities taking place on your kid’s phone.
From phone calls to text messages to emails to internet browsing to GPS location to social media accounts, the Android monitoring app can provide you an insight into your kid’s phone and help you in keeping your kid safe from unwanted threats.