5 Security Tips for Android Mobile Devices
Whether it be your smartphone or tablet computer, it is always important to keep all of you devices as safe as they can be.
The Android software is one of the most widely used operating systems on mobile devices in the world. Operated by Google, Android can be found on phones such as HTC, Sony, Samsung, LG and Motorola, as well as tablet computers such as Samsung Galaxy, Google Nexus and Kindle Fire. It’s the most popular mobile operating system in the world, rivaling Apple’s iOS.
However as mobile devices become increasingly popular, scammers are beginning to transfer many scams previously aimed at PC users and directing them at mobile devices. Of course this transition from PCs to mobile devices was inevitable considering these days a smartphone or tablet computer is just as likely to contain sensitive information as your work or home computer.
And devices that run the popular Android operating system are largely at risk because of the open source nature of Android. Open source means any developer can create their own variant of Android to fit the hardware it runs on. (for example a specific smartphone) It also means anyone can create software (i.e. apps) that can integrate with the Android operating system.
That’s great because these apps can allow your device do great things and since anyone can develop an app, there are literally thousands to choose from. However this is not good from a security standpoint since scammers can also create malicious apps as well, and these apps can have dire consequences because they can integrate with the tablet operating system.
For example scammers could gain control of a device, steal sensitive information or damage the software on the device.
It also means an app user in placing a degree of trust in the security and efficiency of an app, even if the app is legitimate.
Keeping your phone protected and following safety tips is quickly becoming more and more important, so here are some safety tips for those who use Android based mobile devices.
1. Only download apps from trusted sources. Of course since apps can be developed by anybody then you should treat them with the same level of caution as downloading an unknown program from the Internet.
The best and safest place to download apps for Android based phones and mobile devices is the Google Play store which features both free and premium apps. Most mobile devices will contain software that connects a user directly into the Google Play store.
Such apps are vetted by Google and even though rogue apps have been known to infiltrate the store it is still relatively safe to download from.
Many smartphones using Android will be automatically set up to block apps from “untrusted sources” – i.e. apps that are not from the Google Play store. It’s always a good idea to ensure that option is enabled.
2. Set up a Screen Lock. It may seem obvious advice but the number of people who have sensitive information on their phone but don’t employ even the simplest of security steps is genuinely worrying. A screen lock – be it a pattern, pin or password – prevents people from accessing your phone if you lose it or it is stolen. All mobile devices running the Android operating system allow for some type of screen lock security and it is fully recommended that you set one up.
3. SIM Card Lock. If you have sensitive information located on your SIM card then you should employ a SIM card lock. A screen lock will secure the content on the phone itself but content on the SIM card can still be accessed simply be putting the SIM card in another phone.
However a SIM card lock will lock the card itself. This step applies to users of smartphones, and does not apply to tablet computer users, which do not use a SIM card. This step is not required for people who do not use their SIM card to store sensitive information which is usually stored on the phone memory be default.
4. Update your Apps. Remember that apps can be developed by anyone, meaning even if they’re legitimate it doesn’t mean they’re secure. Recently an extremely popular app for sharing messages and photos was exposed as having a massive security flaw that allowed criminals to bypass the screen lock on any phone that had the app installed! Not good!
Of course when such flaws are exposed the developer [should] release an update covering the flaw. So always make sure your apps are kept up-to-date!
5. Install tracker Apps. There are a variety of apps in the marketplace that are designed to help the owner of a lost or stolen device locate it. This is a great way to deter potential thieves and an effective way of locating lost or stolen devices. Some popular apps include avast Mobile Security, Lookout Security and Plan B.
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