4 easy ways to secure your android smartphone

Malware and security vulnerabilities are being discovered all the time on android smartphones. Google does it’s best to protect users from any security threats that can be caused by applications; however it is not just applications that you need to be worried of. Your also need to be careful of people around you, as well as other people using the same WiFi network as you.

Make use of security applications

There are a huge amount of applications available on the Play Store for your android phone. Security applications do a great job at keeping your phone Malware free;as well as backing up your secure data. My favourite security application is Lookout security and antivirus. I like this application as there is a free version and a trial version available and the free version still offers a lot of great features. With the free version your phone will be Malware free because of the regular virus scans and backups that are made. Furthermore you can also track your lost phone if it ever goes missing which will give you peace of mind. On the other hand there is also a lot of other applications available that offer similar functions such as Norton Antivirus and Kaspersky Mobile Security .

Use a secured WiFi network

Public WiFi networks are hotspots for hackers to try to gain personal information off you. There is typically a lot of devices connected to a public WiFi network and anyone of them could be a hacker, just waiting for you to connect to your online banking account to see what information they can get their hands on. Alternatively leaving your own WiFi network unsecured will also allow nosy neighbours and anyone else to gain access to your network and potentially take a look at what you are up to. If you have to use an unsecure network then always make sure that you connect to websites that are encrypted with an SSL certificate. On the other hand set a password on your home network so that other people cannot gain access. You can do this by logging into your router and then changing the wireless sections.

Password Protection 

An easy and highly effective way to protect your smart phone is to add an unlock password. If anyone else finds your phone then you can be sure that they are not going to get into it without your permission. All new android mobiles these days have many different password options such as a pattern unlock and a number password. I like pattern passwords as there is not much chance that an intruder is going to guess your pattern as you can make it as long as you like and can pick something completely unusual.

Keep up to date

Android smartphones often receive OTA updates to the latest software available. These updates contain bug fixes and fix any security vulnerabilities that have been discovered. By ignoring these software updates you are leaving your phone open to all of these vulnerabilities. Furthermore you also need to keep your applications updated as well. Third party applications can also bring security flaws to your phone and these are often detected more quickly and an update released to patch these up.