4 Methods to Keep Your Mobile Device Safe

The biggest challenge in keeping your mobile device safe is underestimating the number and nature of threats. In other words, the first step in avoiding a trap is knowing there is one. The second step is knowing what kind of trap it is.

So, in order to help you with these two steps, here are the top four methods to keep your mobile device safe (at least from digital threats).

1. Recognizing spy apps

If someone installs a spy app on your device, they can monitor everything from your physical location to your device activity without you ever noticing it. Three major problems make this possible. 

First, you have no idea and often even no reason to suspect that someone would make this installation. They’re clearly not going to do this in front of you, and while they may act suspiciously or be jealous, you could see this as normal behavior.

Second, the majority of people have no idea about spy apps. Come on, prove us wrong by listing a couple off the top of your head. How about one? Chances are that you don’t know, and if you do, you just started asking around about them (this is one of the reasons why you’re reading this post, if we’re being completely honest).

Third, a spy app usually leaves no icon (for obvious reasons). This means that you won’t just stumble upon an icon that wasn’t there; look it up and figure out what it is. The worst part is that, due to what we’ve mentioned as a first reason, you probably won’t be able to go to the processes page to see if there’s any suspicious activity.

So, in order to prevent this, you need to look up these apps. Just keep in mind that these are OS-specific. So, if you’re an Apple fan, you should look up some of the many apps increasingly popular with iPhone users, and learn the signs that one of these is installed on your device. Of course, there are many legitimate reasons for having such an app on your device – perhaps to check a work device is being used properly, or for parents to ensure their children are staying safe online.

You should also develop a habit of regularly checking your app list (just in case). It takes a few seconds, and it could make a difference. 

2. Installing antivirus

Installing an antivirus program is the default way of keeping your devices safe. In fact, out of all the tips in the post, this is the one that you most likely knew was going to be on the list. This method is as old as the first viruses and malware and it’s used until the present day.

With the right antivirus, you’ll get both passive and active protection. 

Active protection comes in the form of manual and automatic scans. Every now and then, the antivirus scans your devices and searches for irregularities. It then either automatically resolves problems or informs you of problems and asks for your permission to resolve them. 

You can also instigate manual saves to check if everything is in order. Even without the technical need for these things, just getting peace of mind is worth it. After all, it just takes you a few clicks.

The biggest boost here is the passive protection. All you have to do is pick an antivirus program and install it (and pay the license if it’s a premium antivirus program). Then, you can use the program and enjoy its protection without being an active participant in the process (except for occasional intervention or notification). 

Most importantly, there’s an antivirus for every device. Sure, most people keep them on their PCs, but you should get one on your phone and tablet, as well. 

3. Protecting your private information

The next thing you need to think about is your own privacy. People can do so much with your private information. For instance, if you’re not careful, they can use your anniversary date, birthday, or pet name in order to figure out your password. If you tag your maternal cousins, they’ll likely even figure out your security question.

This is a huge problem since they don’t have to use this data for account takeover. Instead, they can just take over your identity. They can crop out your photo from social media and use what little information they have about you to impersonate you.

Keep in mind that they don’t even have to know it all. It’s enough for them just to have partial information and use some of your info to create a new identity. This is the so-called synthetic identity fraud, and it can be just as damaging.

Still, how do you protect your private information?

There are three ways to do so. 

• First, you can use a VPN to protect your IP and your physical location. This protects you from more than just identity theft. It could protect you from real-world harm like swatting, etc.

• Second, you should pick vendors you work with based on how much information they require. This is especially the case in some fields. For instance, if you want to play at an online casino, you can always pick one of no KYC casinos, which will allow you to give fewer pieces of personal info. 

• Third, be extra careful what you post on social media. Most of the info we mentioned in the first paragraph of this section was exactly about that.

Never underestimate how interesting you are to malicious online agents.

4. Using a password manager

Having a strong password policy is important; however, doing so manually can be completely exhausting. How so?

Well, for reasons we’ve previously mentioned, you can’t use anything from your personal life. After all, this is how they hack your password. You can’t use anything too simple, seeing as how this is one of the first things that a person trying to hack your password will try out. 

An ideal password is random; however, random passwords are near-impossible to remember.

On top of that, you need more than just one. It’s paramount that you have a unique password for every platform that you’re using.

Believe it or not, it gets even worse. For peak cybersecurity, you should change these passwords every 60-90 days. 

We’ll pause for a moment and give you a chance to do a quick audit. Look at your bookmarks bar and try to figure out how many platforms you’re logged into. Now, try to figure out how many unique passwords you’ll need in just one year. Chances are that there are too many to keep in mind, and writing them down is already a security liability.

With the help of good password management software, this isn’t even that big of a problem. You can generate and memorize passwords, as well as keep it all safe and encrypted.

Ultimately, you shouldn’t rely just on passwords to begin with. What about a 2FA? This way, even if your password is lost or leaked, you get a second chance at recovery. 

Keeping your mobile device safe is a top priority

While they won’t protect you from all the threats, abiding by these four rules will keep you out of harm’s way most of the time. Sure, a stolen device is a huge liability but it’s really questionable what you can do in order to prevent this. Checking up on your phone from time to time, installing proper software, using the right passwords, and making sure you do not expose your personal info to people online will keep it safe from digital threats.