Introduction
We all love our smartphones, but have you ever considered the security of your device? We’re not just talking about whether you have a password on your phone. Take a look at these five ways that your phone might actually be making your life less secure.
Is Your Cell Phone a Security Breach?
Cell phones are now the number one way to access the internet, and they are a good way to access sensitive information. While cell phones can be a security risk, there are ways to minimize this risk by using secure passwords and encryption on your devices.
How Safe Are Your Apps?
If you’ve ever downloaded an app and found yourself confused by the permissions it requires, you’re not alone. Permissions are the permissions that apps ask for when they want to use your device. In theory, they should only ask for what they need to do their jobs—but in practice, that’s not always true.
If you don’t pay close attention to app permissions before installing them on your device and grant them everything they want right off the bat (which is often a bad idea), there could be many unintended consequences if someone else gains access through your phone or tablet—and that’s where things get tricky.
Do You Use Fingerprint ID?
The fingerprint scanner at the back of your phone is a convenient way to unlock your device. It makes life easier, especially if you don’t like typing in passwords every time you want to use your phone. But it’s not as secure as you might think: anyone can use this feature without permission from the owner, even if the owner is unable to give consent!
If someone steals or borrows your device, then they can simply swipe their finger over the sensor and access everything on it—including sensitive information like bank accounts and photos stored in apps like Facebook or Instagram. Additionally, some apps have been known to collect fingerprints from users without their consent (even under 18 years old). This means strangers may have access to some data without knowing about it!
The good news? There are ways around these problems by setting up a passcode instead of allowing app permissions with biometric security features enabled
Mobile App Permissions
App permissions are the things your apps have access to—like your location, microphone, and camera. Apps can request permissions when you install them or later on. If an app has access to something that’s not related to its core functions (like a game shouldn’t need access to your address book), it could be a bad sign.
To see what an app is up to and whether it has used any of the permissions granted by the operating system:
- Open Settings from your home screen or by swiping down from the top of your screen in landscape mode with two fingers
- Tap Privacy & safety then tap Permissions
- Scroll through all of the applications installed on your device
- For each application you’d like information about, tap on it
Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication is a security feature that requires two methods of verification, such as a password and fingerprint. This means you have to provide something you know (the password) and something you have (the fingerprint).
Two-factor authentication can also be used separately, like when your bank asks for a PIN number before it lets you withdraw money from an ATM.
Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi is not secure.
Public Wi-Fi can be accessed for free in many restaurants, coffee shops, airports and more. But as cell phone users start to use public Wi-Fi more often, they should know that their information may be compromised by hackers.
There are ways to protect yourself when using public Wi-Fi:
- Use a private VPN service to encrypt your data while you browse online or send emails and texts on your phone or tablet. A VPN works by creating a secure connection between your device and the Internet provider you’re connecting with (like AT&T). This means that any data sent over this connection is encrypted and therefore protected from prying eyes—even if it’s being transmitted across an insecure network like public Wi-Fi at Starbucks or McDonalds! You can learn more about how VPNs work here: How Do VPNs Work?
Be smart about your cell phone.
To keep your phone secure, the following tips are recommended:
- Delete unused apps.
- Take a look at what permissions you’ve granted to each app on your phone. If an app wants access to sensitive information like location or contacts, think twice about granting it permission.
- Don’t download apps from non-official sources—download sites or forums where people share pirated software will likely include malware or spyware in their downloads. You can also check out Google’s official Play Store for safe downloads of any Android app you’re interested in using.
- Make sure that all of your software updates have been completed on a regular basis (iOS users should do this once every week). Software updates often contain patches for security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers if left unpatched for too long!
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you understand how to secure your information, and the importance of doing so. Our goal at [COMPANY NAME] is to ensure that all of our customers are able to protect themselves from potential cyber attacks and threats as they continue using their phone. We believe that everyone should be aware of security breaches and how they can protect themselves against them.