Our Android smartphones have become our closest companions and confidants as they carry lots of personal data and even sensitive documents relating to work and business. Some of these include e-mails, passwords, messages, contacts, photos and videos. Therefore it is of paramount importance to secure your handset to prevent fraudsters from gaining access to it. It is also important to ensure that in case it falls into the wrong hands, your data and information stay safe. Some of the ways to do this are outlined below.
Password Your Device
All Android phones have the options of using either a pattern lock
or an alphanumeric password (numbers and letters). When using the
pattern lock, ensure that it is not an easy to guess pattern but one
that you can remember and make sure no other person knows the password
for the Gmail account associated with your device. For the alphanumeric
password, it is best to use numbers, letters and symbols together but it
should be something you can remember, don’t use passwords like 12345,
your name, birthday or other things that someone can look up. In both
cases, do not tell anyone your password and ensure no one sees you when
drawing your pattern.
Use Google
All Android devices from Android version 2.2 and above come with a
special feature you can use to track and manage your device. Check for
Google Settings on your device denoted by a grey icon with small letter
‘g’ and a gear symbol. Open the app and choose the ‘Android Device
Manager’ option, you will then see various options for locating, remote
locking and factory resetting of your device in case it gets lost or is
stolen.
Then you can log on to the Android Device Manager website www.google.com/android/ devicemanager using your Gmail account to control your phone from any location.
Then you can log on to the Android Device Manager website www.google.com/android/ devicemanager using your Gmail account to control your phone from any location.
Use an Antivirus
Hackers, spyware and other bad stuff can get access to your phone
through surfing the net, downloading files, running apps amongst other
things. To guard against these threats, it is best to uses an AntiVirus
app. There are several free and paid antivirus apps such as AVG
AntiVirus Security Free, Avast Mobile Security, Norton Security
antivirus, etc. Free antivirus apps are good enough but if you want
better protection, go for the paid options.
Some of the antivirus apps can help track your phone if stolen or
misplaced, remotely wipe your data to prevent intrusion and even make a
loud sound to help you locate it. It is best to have only one antivirus
software on your device as having more than one can cause your device to
run slowly.
Install an Anti-Theft App to Snap the Thief
You might have heard of some thieves who were caught after the
phones the stole took their photos and sent them to the real owners of
the phones. You can do it too however only if your device has a front
camera, there are many apps in the Google PlayStore which have that
capability most of which are paid.
Some are Cerberus Anti-Theft and Lockwatch Anti-Theft by Bloketech.
These apps use the device’s front camera to take a photo of the thief
when he/she attempts to unlock the device with a wrong password. It will
then send the photo and phone location to you via email which makes it
easy for you to catch the thief, its better you go with law enforcement
officers and not alone. The apps work silently so the thief won’t know he/she is been photographed.
Track Your Device
Best Practices for Securing Your Phone
· Don’t download attachments from e-mails sent by unknown contacts.· Before you install an app, look at the permissions it asks for and allow or deny as you want.
· Install only well rated apps e.g. those with at least 1000 downloads except it’s by someone you know well.
· Don’t give an app access to your social media accounts e.g. Google, Facebook and Twitter except for a very good reason; it’s not compulsory that if an app requests access to your accounts that it be allowed.
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