Security Features in Android Smartphones

If there is one device that most adults have with them at all times, it is their phones. Smartphones have become a basic necessity of modern living. They are used for much more than making or receiving phone calls or texting. People use them to carry out various day to day tasks. Smartphones have easily become the devices that carry our most personal information.

Smartphones have also become an easy target for fraudsters. Hackers use different methods to access sensitive information that many people store on their phones and Android app developers are working hard to build a secured app. With the movement towards mobile transactions, smartphone security has become even more important.

Built-In Security

Although Android has long been dogged with security issues, Google is making significant strides to ensure the security of its operating system and the devices it is used on. In the past, Google was happy to leave device security to third parties. However, you no longer have to download the most expensive security apps from Play Store to ensure the security of your smartphone. Android now offers various built-in security features.

The following are some of the most basic security features that you can take advantage of on your android smartphone without having to download extra security apps.

• Phone tracking with android device manager
  

Being able to remotely access your device helps to improve security. You don’t have to install a third party app to track your phone remotely. Device manager can do this for you. It allows you to lock, locate, ring and wipe your device remotely.

If you’re one of those people with multiple android smartphone you will have to install a device manager app. This will allow you to locate another phone from a different one. This however, doesn’t work for tablets.

• Screen Lock
  

Android provides various ways to lock your phone. These include the use of a pin, password, face unlock or pattern. Unfortunately, about 39% of smartphone users don’t make use of any of these security locking features. Their phones are therefore left vulnerable to invaders.

Using any of these methods of locking your phone will help to increase the security of your phone. Ensure that your phone is locked especially when you leave your home. However, you may opt to unlock it while at home. The ‘unlock with Wi-Fi’ feature allow your phone to automatically unlock when it comes in range of your home’s Wi-Fi system.

• Add contact info to your lock screen
  

If you lose your phone, it can be difficult to recover it. However, if you’re lucky, the person who finds it may want to return it. You can help them do so by including your information on the lock screen.

You can add emergency contacts and other contact information on your lock screen by going to settings> security and then selecting owner info. When the lock screen is enabled, your contact information will be displayed. Anyone who finds your phone can contact your to return the phone.

• Phone encryption
  

If you’re planning to sell your phone, encryption is something that you definitely should do. However, it is something that can also help to improve security even for daily usage. Simply go to the settings menu> security and select encrypt phone.

The initial encryption process can take an hour or more to complete. However, once you have set your password or PIN, subsequent encryptions will be much faster. Be sure to have your phone plugged in or fully charged. If your smartphone goes off in the middle of the process, you could lose all your data forever.

• Two-factor authentication
  

This isn’t just for your phone but also for your Google account and therefore all Google products that you access with your account. Two-factor authentication requires the use of ‘something you know’ e.g. your password as well as ‘something you have’ e.g. an object such as your smartphone.

You will have to enable two-factor authentication from your account. This will limit the number of devices from which your account can be accessed.

Additional Security Tips

For additional security, consider the following tips:

• Download only from trusted stores
  

Limit the downloading of apps to only those stores that you trust. You can set your smartphone to detect and prevent downloads from sources that you don’t trust.

• Update your OS
  

Ensure that your operating system and apps are all up to date. New security features are usually included in updates. These will provide you with added security.

• Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when you’re not using them
  

This will limit the opportunities for hackers to access our phone. 

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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