Your device potentially has all the information about you. Your photos, documents, emails, messages and not to forget contacts are the core data of your life. It is highly important to secure your device which encapsulates highly sensitive data.
Chances are you might have already heard that android has more security issues relative to iOS. But that’s not completely true. When you know how to safeguard your device rightly there’s no “insecurity” about your android device. Let us see 5 tips that you must know to secure your android device.
1. Lock it down!!
The simplest but yet sometimes overlooked way, to easily secure your android device is to lock it. Depending on the data you store and its sensitivity, you can take one of the three options from pattern lock, PIN or password protect. Pattern lock is easiest way to lock your phone and ofcourse also the easiest to guess. You might have already guessed your friend’s pattern after a few glances. For a better security while using pattern-lock, avoid using visible pattern.
Using a PIN to lock your device is one of the smartest way to secure your android and also a better option than pattern-lock. And for more tight security on your android, you can opt for password protection with alphanumeric characters.
In my view, locking your apps is as important as locking your device. Use applock software, a simple yet powerful tool to lock your apps down. Lock messages, email, Facebook and more, to protect your privacy and so you can never worry about lending your device to a friend again.
2. Setup security.
It is always important to have an anti-virus app to safe guard your device from all viruses, malware, and spyware. Equally you also need to be sure that you can wipe out all your data remotely in case if you lose your phone or if it’s stolen.
Lookout is one good app which you can rely upon for a complete security on your android device. It has malware protection, privacy options and also you can easily wipe out your data remotely with just one click. It scans every file, app and email attachment to make sure every bit of information is safe in your device.
In Lookout, there’s a feature named Privacy Advisor which safeguards your privacy by letting you know which apps can access which information. And in case your device is stolen, you can trace out your lost mobile instantly on an internet browser and make your device sound a loud alarm. And there are more in Lookout making it as an all-in-one app for both privacy and security on your android device.
3. Be careful with apps.
With an ever-increasing number of apps in Play Store, we need to be more cautious before we install them into our device. Because it’s like opening doors for strangers into your home filled with very sensitive “things”. We need to understand that all apps in Play Store are never safe. Here are the simple things you need to do before you install apps.
4. Update OS.
Updating Android is one small thing which can make big differences in security, privacy and UI improvements. If your device manufacturer allows you to update your OS to latest version, then just make it done. Because updates always come with security patches, eliminated bugs and overall a better security.
5. Backup your data.
Backing up your data is one less important thing until some disaster happens. Regular backups will make you feel relaxed about your data and apps. There are a number of apps in Play Store for this purpose. Some apps doesn’t work on non-rooted phones. Choose the right app according your device and your sections of backup.
G Cloud Backup is one of the best apps for backing up your data. It works on non-rooted phones also and offers a wide range of sections to backup and upload to cloud storage. It gives 1GB of free storage and you can earn up to 8 GB by inviting friends, sharing on facebook and twitter and more. You can access your backup files through your browser. G Cloud stores all your files on the secure and reliable Amazon AWS Cloud with military grade 256-AES encryption. If you lose or delete anything, you can restore it instantly.
Some of the other apps you can use to back up your android device are Super Backup, App Backup & Restore and Titanium Backup.
Chances are you might have already heard that android has more security issues relative to iOS. But that’s not completely true. When you know how to safeguard your device rightly there’s no “insecurity” about your android device. Let us see 5 tips that you must know to secure your android device.
1. Lock it down!!
The simplest but yet sometimes overlooked way, to easily secure your android device is to lock it. Depending on the data you store and its sensitivity, you can take one of the three options from pattern lock, PIN or password protect. Pattern lock is easiest way to lock your phone and ofcourse also the easiest to guess. You might have already guessed your friend’s pattern after a few glances. For a better security while using pattern-lock, avoid using visible pattern.
Using a PIN to lock your device is one of the smartest way to secure your android and also a better option than pattern-lock. And for more tight security on your android, you can opt for password protection with alphanumeric characters.
2. Setup security.
It is always important to have an anti-virus app to safe guard your device from all viruses, malware, and spyware. Equally you also need to be sure that you can wipe out all your data remotely in case if you lose your phone or if it’s stolen.
Lookout is one good app which you can rely upon for a complete security on your android device. It has malware protection, privacy options and also you can easily wipe out your data remotely with just one click. It scans every file, app and email attachment to make sure every bit of information is safe in your device.
In Lookout, there’s a feature named Privacy Advisor which safeguards your privacy by letting you know which apps can access which information. And in case your device is stolen, you can trace out your lost mobile instantly on an internet browser and make your device sound a loud alarm. And there are more in Lookout making it as an all-in-one app for both privacy and security on your android device.
3. Be careful with apps.
With an ever-increasing number of apps in Play Store, we need to be more cautious before we install them into our device. Because it’s like opening doors for strangers into your home filled with very sensitive “things”. We need to understand that all apps in Play Store are never safe. Here are the simple things you need to do before you install apps.
- Never allow .apk installations from unknown sources.
- Read user reviews of that app from the Play Store.
- Take rating into consideration while you compare any apps.
- Read carefully about the permissions you grant to the app because a calculator app may not need access to your call log.
4. Update OS.
Updating Android is one small thing which can make big differences in security, privacy and UI improvements. If your device manufacturer allows you to update your OS to latest version, then just make it done. Because updates always come with security patches, eliminated bugs and overall a better security.
5. Backup your data.
Backing up your data is one less important thing until some disaster happens. Regular backups will make you feel relaxed about your data and apps. There are a number of apps in Play Store for this purpose. Some apps doesn’t work on non-rooted phones. Choose the right app according your device and your sections of backup.
G Cloud Backup is one of the best apps for backing up your data. It works on non-rooted phones also and offers a wide range of sections to backup and upload to cloud storage. It gives 1GB of free storage and you can earn up to 8 GB by inviting friends, sharing on facebook and twitter and more. You can access your backup files through your browser. G Cloud stores all your files on the secure and reliable Amazon AWS Cloud with military grade 256-AES encryption. If you lose or delete anything, you can restore it instantly.
Some of the other apps you can use to back up your android device are Super Backup, App Backup & Restore and Titanium Backup.
