How often are you on your phone? According to CNET, the average person checks their phone 52 times a day! That number was a bit of a shock. However, once you factor in things like checking your email, reading news articles, checking your account, scrolling through Instagram, googling information, and watching videos on YouTube, the numbers started to add up.
With as much time as we’re spending on our mobile devices, are you doing everything to keep yours secure? Here are some ways to help you protect your device.
1. Keep your phone locked.
- Lock your screens with a passcode, pattern, or biometric like fingerprint or facial recognition.
- Have your screen auto-lock when not in use.
- Set unique pins that are hard to guess.
2. Keep your operating system up-to-date.
- iOS →general→software update.
- Android→settings→system update.
- Set up auto-update to make sure you’re always up-to-date.
3. Connect to a secure Wi-Fi.
- Avoid using unprotected networks - you’re not sure who set them up and who else is using them.
- Unsecured Wi-Fi means data is allowed to move freely without any form of encryption.
4. Beware of downloads.
- Use verified apps through your app store.
- Look over recent reviews, updates, and contact information before downloading a new app.
- Avoid suspicious links.
- Always check to make sure that the link came from a source you recognize, and check the website to confirm that it’s a valid link.
5. Don’t jailbreak.
- Jailbreaking is when you bypass the factory restrictions Apple puts on the its operating system, allowing you to take full control of your device.
- With a jailbroken device, you're able to install apps not typically authorized through Apple, by doing this you are removing the security protections that iOS has built in.
- Rooting is jailbreaking for Androids, allowing you to unlock your phones operating system so you can install unapproved apps, deleted unwanted bloatware, update the OS, replace the firmware, and customize just about anything.
6. Back up phone data.
- Back up your information, apps, videos and pictures (all 3,000 of them) to your iCloud or google account.
- If anything happens to your phone and you have a backup, you won’t lose your information.
As often as we use our devices, taking some precautions to protect them makes sense. These tips can help secure your device and protect your information while you’re watching those cat videos on YouTube or scrolling through Instagram.