Our cellphones are the best friend we have at all times, and it’s something we can’t bear the separation from! No matter the situation, these addictive, smart devices have become an integral part of our lives.
With our days starting from a “good morning Siri or Bixby” to our days ending on a similar lined “Good night” chant. Also, with technology evolving at a superficial pace, we have our whole world confined within these cell phones! Let it be a “work-related” document, class lecture, or memorable pictures with friends or family, making survival without cell phones near to impossible!
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However, the major flaw of these devices is the apparent lack of privacy and security they pose! While shedding light on recent events, people like Jeff Bezos ended up having his phone hacked!
Not to mention that celebrities and politicians also face problems of having their phones hacked by paparazzi! With that, the most obvious solution would be to choose a brand that produces “safe” smartphones!
But what if these renowned companies can not protect your data? After all, Jeff Bezos was also using an iPhone X, and he allegedly got hacked by the Saudis didn’t he?
Now obviously, with these cell phones being relatively “unsafe” to use, we obviously can’t ditch all these devices into the trash and cut off from the world! However, what we can do is try our best to remain secure!
There are various methods available that allow you to maintain privacy and security, even if your cellphone has a relatively flawed security system. A little bit of education in the right direction and being vigilant is all it takes to remain secure.
This article highlights some of the key possible ways that can guarantee your cell phone remains private for sure! So if your privacy is all that it matters to you, go ahead and give this article a thorough read!
1.Install all software updates
Operating system updates indeed seem annoying! This is why arming our devices with all the latest updates is something we all procrastinate at! And that is one of our greatest mistakes!
Software updates are often rolled out by companies so that they may patch any previous vulnerability present. They are patch systems that stick on any loopholes present for hackers and cybercriminals to exploit.
Also, as cyber-attacks are continually evolving; therefore, these software updates ensure that the device is running on the optimum condition and equips to defend against general cyber-attacks.
2.Remain skeptical of attachments and links
Attachments and links are something to remain forever skeptical of. Primarily as they have long since been the ultimate source of phishing attacks. Traditionally, these attacks occurred through emails.
The attacker used to send a malware-infected link or file in a legitimate-looking email. Victims used to click on those links or download a file and knowingly infect their devices. This method was reasonably hard to execute; however, with cellphones, it is getting reasonably easy!
Now all attackers need is to spread malware through an interest grappling message on any social networking site. Let it be WhatsApp, Instagram, or even Facebook! Just the way it happened with Jeff Bezos, you might entrap a malware within your cell phone!
3.Don’t jailbreak your phone!
Jailbreaking phones gives an odd sense of freedom and liberty! You can download any app you want without getting restricted on Apple, Google, Amazon, or Galaxy store!
However, as liberating as it may be, jailbreak phones are easy targets for malware infections and hacking attempts. Apps on designated app stores are usually certified. They are mostly from a highly trusted source and have gone through intensive checking.
Therefore these apps most likely don’t carry malware with them. However, we can not certifiably say this for third party apps. Primarily as most of the time, the origin of these apps remains unknown.
Also, with the origin unknown, there is no way to guarantee if they have appropriately been checked for viruses and malware. It is also possible for hackers and cybercriminals to design these apps in the way of spreading malware or gaining access to your phone and personal information.
4.Use VPNs
VPNs or virtual private networks are the ultimate sources of privacy and security. They protect your data online through a securely encrypted tunnel preventing anyone from snooping in.
Also, they further encrypt your data, too, so to provide maximum levels of security. If you chose a good VPN server, you would get military-grade encryption, which is nearly impossible to crack!
Additionally, most apps track and store your location, IP address, and all sorts of other private information that you would like to have private! VPNs allow this security as they switch your location and mask your IP address. Therefore, feeding anyone who is tracking you misguided information.
Furthermore, they also protect you from ad trackers, cookies, and other browsing trackers, allowing you to browse the internet anonymously. However, while choosing a VPN provider, it is best to stay vigilant and ensure you have chosen a paid one that has a strict no-logs policy. If not, you might be in deeper trouble!
Final words
Cell Phones, apart from being our best friends, can turn into our worst nightmare! However, having security measures in place can ensure safety and privacy. Following some of the measures, as mentioned above, can allow you to remain secure and private online.