Ways to hack proof your
phone:
Be careful of what
you install:
When you install a smartphone app, you may be asked
to grant it various permissions, including the ability to read your files,
access your camera or listen in to your microphone. There are legitimate uses
for these capabilities, but they’re potentially open to abuse: think before you
approve the request.
Review
what’s already on your phone:
Even if the apps on your phone seemed simple and
safe when you installed them, subsequent updates could have turned them into
something more sinister. Take two minutes to review all the apps on your
smartphone, and see which permissions they’re using: on iOS, you’ll find lots
of relevant information under Settings > Privacy.
Be prepared to track and lock your phone:
Plan ahead, so even if your phone is stolen, you
know your data is safe. One option is to set your phone to automatically erase
itself after a certain number of incorrect attempts to enter the passcode.
Don’t leave online
services unlocked:
Auto-login is a very convenient feature, especially
since a virtual keyboard can make typing passwords a chore. It’s also a huge
liability: an intruder simply needs to open your browser to gain access to all
your online accounts.
Ideally, therefore, you shouldn’t use auto-login features at all. If you
must, use a password manager app that requires you to regularly re-enter a
master password.
Beware with open
wifi:
We
all know there’s a
risk involved in using an open wireless network.
But
you may not realise how severe it is: anyone in the vicinity can snoop on what you’re
doing online. This sort of attack demands specialist software and skills, so it’s
unlikely to be a hazard in your local cafe, but it’s not a danger that can be
ignored.
Lock individual
apps:
On Android, as a
second line of defence, you can lock individual apps, so even if someone can
get past your lockscreen, they can’t open your email or banking app without a
second password. This capability isn’t built into the OS, but there are plenty
of free apps that provide it, such as AVG AntiVirus Free.
