When it comes to your smartphone, security is of the utmost importance. Think of all the information you keep on your phone. Email accounts, Google Drive or Dropbox files, personal finance apps, family photos, and more. While we all understand the inconvenience that comes with losing or breaking a phone and losing access to all of that essential information, but what about phone theft, and having all of that content fall into the wrong hands?

 

You could face fraudulent charges, suffer from identity theft, have private photos and information shared with the world, and more. To protect yourself and your smartphone from this dangerous outcome, be sure to follow these security precautions.

 

1. Set a Unique Passcode

First and foremost, make sure your phone is locked with either Touch ID or a passcode that only you know. Apple has even gone as far as investing in Face Recognition for the new iPhones to ensure your phone is secure and can be unlocked by only you. Avoid codes like “1234” or “0000” that are commonly used and less secure.

 

2. Be Cautious When Using Public WiFi

While public wifi is always a nice treat, it’s also the perfect opportunity for hackers to tap in and take your info. There’s no harm in browsing the internet and checking your social media, but try to avoid anything that would involve entering personal information like passwords and your credit card number. If you absolutely need to, switch over to your mobile hotspot for a more secure connection.

 

3. Be Careful With Spammy Emails

Ever received an email that looks a bit fishy? Hackers use emails to tempt you to click on a link that can then lead to various different issues like the below.

 

• It could be a link to download a malicious virus to your phone.
• The link could prompt you to a website that looks trustworthy. It will ask you to enter your login information thus sending the information immediately to a hacker.

 

Always hover over the link in your email to make sure it is legitimate. While hovering over the link, a small pop up will appear in the bottom left corner of your browser to show you where it leads. This link takes you to Google, but so does this one: Facebook.com. You can never tell what the link is actually to solely based on the text. Make sure the link matches the context of the email you’re receiving. If you notice it’s spam, just delete the email!

 

4. Frequently Back Up Your Data

You hear it all the time – back up your data. Losing your phone is bad enough, but imagine losing it with anyone having access to it’s information. If your data is backed up, you can wipe it clean without a worry. Backing up your phone is a foolproof way to ensure your data is safe.

 

Unfortunately, there are many risks for smartphone users. However, if you follow the advice given above, you’ll be one step ahead.