How to protect your smartphone from hackers

People store their most personal information on their smartphones, so when a hacker accesses your device and steals your information, it's a huge invasion of your privacy. Your smartphone has such valuable information as bank details and passwords, but also personal information such as photos and private messages that you wouldn't want to see anyone else.

Smartphone theft is still a major problem around the world, with criminal gangs stealing it from the world and sending it to Eastern Europe where intruders invade and steal information before sending the smartphones for sale to black market in countries like Nigeria. Sure, and not having your smartphone stolen, hackers are constantly trying new and inventive ways to penetrate your device remotely and steal your data without you knowing it. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a strategy to keep the information that your phone stores safe in any case. Here are some tips on how to protect your smartphone from hackers and intruders.

Update your operating system and applications

Device makers and software companies are constantly updating their software with new features and security fixes that can help protect your phone from hackers. The users Android and iPhone are updated when updates to Operating Systems and their applications have updates available and should, as far as possible, install these updates without delay.

Lock your device

Both Android and iOS They have reliable software security features built into their operating systems, but historically many people have found passwords annoying and failed to enable them. Fortunately, fingerprint sensors and face id have become the standard on almost all smartphones in recent years, so there are no excuses for not activating lock security. However, even if you have an older phone, it's worth using whatever lock protection your device has.

Use a password manager to create and store strong and unique passwords

As crazy as it may seem, "123456" and "password" remain the two most commonly used passwords today and are a little better than having no password at all. Many people also choose to use the same password for multiple accounts and while this password may be strong, could leave your entire digital life exposed to hackers. It is much more secure and easier to use a password manager, such as Lastpass or 1Password, to securely create and store unique passwords for each of your online accounts, and then all you have to do is Remember a strong password to access this service. For increased protection, enable two-factor authentication (“2FA") For the password manager itself.

Install antivirus

Many people only use antivirus to protect their home computer, but in fact it is always useful to have antivirus on any device that you own. If you install software from App Store or the Play Store, these applications are generally safe, as they have been tested by Apple or its engineers Google, but when you browse the web, you can never be sure if someone will choose to target your device. Many well-known websites have been targeted by hackers who have secretly introduced malware to users through advertising and reliable up-to-date antivirus from BitDefender or Sophos will help stop these efforts.

Use a VPN

Public WiFi is always a security risk piece, but even when using more reliable networks, a VPN can protect you from prying eyes as they establish a secure encrypted connection between your device and the web or web service you use. Not only will they prevent hackers from seeing what websites you visit, but also your phone network or ISP. Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN VPNs are three of the best on the market so we recommend you try them out.

Avoid public USB charging points and public WiFi

If you plug your phone into a public charging slot or a public WiFi access point, even if it appears to come from a trusted vendor, you leave your device open to exploitation by hackers. Your phone's charging port is also the data port, so it's an easy way for hackers to access your device, while connecting to the wrong WiFi access point can mean sending all your usernames and passwords directly to them. .

If you follow these steps to protect your smartphone from hackers, you need to make sure that you have done everything possible to protect your data from prying eyes and that hackers will be less likely to be able to steal your identity and sink into your personal life.