Cybercrime statistics are grim and getting worse. Yes, it can happen to you!Android powers his 70% of mobile phones worldwide. According to a recent research paper from the University of Cambridge, 87% have critical vulnerabilities.
Luckily, there are some very powerful common sense everyday ways to make Android more resilient to cyberthreats and accidental tampering.
First, we’ll look at the important general options that all devices should implement. Next, we’ll take a look at some lesser-known Android phone settings that can make a big difference to your phone’s safety.
Two basic security rules that protect all your devices
The constant erosion of our privacy is the cause of many cybersecurity problems.VPNs have become essential for mobile phones and all other devices. A staggering rate of identity theft, online fraud, and large-scale data breaches can be attributed directly to people using the internet without privacy protections.
Protect your privacy with a VPN
It is imperative to keep your login credentials, Internet searches, and browsing history private. Do not connect to public or free Wi-Fi services unless you have a reputable Wi-Fi service.
- Not a scammer! VPNs. This includes friends’ home networks, school or work networks, and even mobile data connections. You never know who’s watching!
With USA VPN, you’ll never accidentally stumble upon geolocation fencing at school or work.
Use two-factor authentication
Reuse and share passwords to expose your chat history, emails, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and dating apps to the world.
just kidding! By implementing 2FA, you prevent snobs and criminals from sticking to your stuff. The minor inconvenience of additional security steps that come with using 2FA is worth the reassurance.
It doesn’t matter which device you use. Download a reputable authenticator, use your phone’s “security key,” or get a standalone hardware key to control signing in to your email and other accounts.
These two rules can make the most difference to your internet security and are very easy to install. But next, we’ll take a look at some Android-specific rules and settings to keep your Android smartphone data safe from hackers and snoopers.
5 Little-Known Additional Android Safety Tips
Here are some lesser-known Android settings to protect your privacy and increase security at the same time.
Be very careful in the Google Play Store
Malicious Android apps steal your data and financial information. Worse, it could provide a quick way for criminals to hijack home his networks and company databases. Google does not vette all apps on the Play Store.
Researchers regularly find new batches of malicious Android apps on the Google Play store.
The app pretends to be a free antivirus or VPN, image editing tool, system optimizer, QR scanner, etc. Instead, it subscribes users to premium his services, steals login credentials and social media accounts, and annoys users with intrusive ads.
Be careful with those app permissions
New Android versions (finally!) include new app permission options. This is a privacy-first development that is very important to our users. You can now choose to access your location only when your app is actively used, rather than all the time, or allow access with restrictions.
However, apps that were already installed on your phone before these upgrades arrived have full and unrestricted access to everything on your phone. .
[設定]>>[プライバシー]>>[権限マネージャー]Go to. Scroll down the list of permissions for location, camera, and microphone. Alternatively, go to Apps and continue down the list of apps. You can adjust access levels for each app or remove permissions entirely.
Check lock screen information
Android’s default notification settings show everything even after the screen is locked, making all app shortcuts available on the locked device. This allows someone else to change network connections or change other settings, for example. They may not have full access, but it’s a pretty bad idea to leave sensitive information there for the world to see.
Limit notifications as follows:
Settings >> Privacy >> Lock screen notifications. You can choose between “Show all notification content” and “Show sensitive content only when unlocked” or “Don’t show notifications at all”.
Be careful not to change the setting carelessly as follows.
Settings -> Display -> Lock screen. Toggle Show Device Controls to Off.
If your boss (or mom!) wants to see your phone: Use app pinning.
When you give your phone to a friend, boss, mother, or significant other and need to check something on your phone, you should use app pinning to lock your phone to one app. If someone accidentally or intentionally leaves the app, they will be asked to authenticate before they can access anything else.
First, you need to enable app pinning in Settings >> Security >> “App pinning”, “Window pinning” or “Screen pinning”. This may be under “Advanced” or “Other” settings. Toggle the feature to ‘On’ and also enable ‘Require unlock pattern before unpin’.
The next time you need to hand the phone over, just quickly open the system overview interface. Find the app you want to pin in the overview area. Tap the card to reveal the “Pin” option.
Enable Find My Device setting
Losing your phone feels like a punch in the stomach. Rest assured that Android has its own built-in apps for remotely finding, locking, and wiping your device. Make sure it is enabled.
Settings >> Security >> Find Devices
Check your settings by visiting android.com/find (any browser) or searching for “find my device” on Google. Sign in to your Google account. You should be able to see the last known location of your phone and lock or erase it.
Final Safety Tip: Don’t Forget Phishing
You can install and maintain all the Android safety checks you want, but email is still one of the main ways hackers gain access to your phone.
Check before clicking! Your phone knows you better than anyone – don’t let cybercriminals abuse it Keep your device up to date. Use a reputable antivirus and VPN with advanced threat detection (not the dangerous, “free” stuff from Google Play). We need all the help we can get from there!
Filed Under: Android news, guides
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