Your Android phone can do a whole lot of things, from the most important of tasks to the craziest of ways it can provide entertainment. But it goes without saying that smartphones make life more productive, especially in these critical times where we're all doing things from home.
It's important, therefore, to keep your device safe and secure to keep malicious attacks at bay. It's a good thing doing so is very easy. In fact, it's the little things that can make your Android phone more secure. Here's how:
Don't underestimate what your lock screen can do
Activating one's lock screen is common and almost automatic for a lot of people, but are you 100% sure you're the only one who knows what your pattern or passcode is? Is your code guess-proof? Or are your biometric scans as safe as you'd want them to be?
It doesn't matter whether your phone holds a lot of secrets or none at all -- you must always make sure that a stranger won't have full access to it in an event where you misplace it.
The only way to prevent that from happening is to secure your lock screen. Do it right now!
Use two-factor verification
Most hacks happen because people fall for a technique called phishing. A lot of people are duped into thinking that one particular message or email is the official word of a company asking for their username or password when in truth, not one honest company will ask their customers to do so.
This is where two-factor authentication comes in. In case your password is compromised, the attacker won't be able to gain control over your account because they will need a code of some sort, which is commonly sent to your mobile phone.
If you haven't yet, enable two-factor authentication in all of your accounts today.
Avoid clicking vague/unquestionable links
Do not ever click a link especially if it doesn't give a hint of what's it all about. That's common with shortened links, but other links may trick you into believing that the site you're being directed to is harmless. If you're unsure, just avoid clicking it.
Or if a link is sent by a friend or somebody you can trust, ping them a message first to know that it's really them who sent it and not a spammy bot that's taken over their account.
This applies to all your social media accounts and your email as well. Never click a forwarded link when you're not sure what's it all about.
