The widespread adoption of the smartphone and our increasing reliance on it has definitely led to some challenges that are unique to the modern human experience. The emotional health toll of social media, issues with easy distraction, and so on. However, one that many of us don’t do enough to fight is the issue of our own data security. If you have data on your phone that is important to you, you want to make sure you know where it is at all times. Here are a few ways to do that.
Secure it
First, you want to make sure that no one is able to swipe your phone and immediately access all the data on it. Keep your phone locked when you’re not using it and make sure that you set secure passwords for the phone and any vital apps, such as your browser and bank apps, using separate passwords for each. If your phone allows you to use biometrics such as your thumbprint, then you might want to go ahead and use that. When you do lock the phone or set it down, make sure that you close any apps. Otherwise, they can open up, without any need for a password, if someone gets into it.
Don’t lose it permanently ever again
In the past, if you lost your phone, then you pretty much had to accept the reality that you also lost any and all data that was being kept on the phone. That might include some important data that has sentimental or practical value. However, that’s no longer the case with pretty much any device. For instance, there are options that make it easy to backup iPhone to external drive or to the Cloud, so you can access it from another device if necessary. In most cases, you simply need to enable these functions. Similarly, there are functions that can help you remotely lock your phone if you fear it is stolen, so you should learn how to use these ASAP.
Be careful what you download or open
There is plenty of malware lurking in the online world and many of them can get into your device simply due to a little negligence. For instance, you should make sure that if you’re downloading any apps, you check that they are available on the most trusted stores such as Google Play or the iPhone App Store. Do not download apps directly from the maker’s website unless you are 100% certain that you know the dev, know the app, and know that it is safe. Similarly, you should make sure that you keep your device, browsers, and any apps up-to-date, as these updates frequently include fixes for any security bugs that could lead to vulnerabilities in your device. When it comes to any links or files, make sure that you know and verify the sender’s identity before you open it.
Keeping your data safe should be a universally accepted responsibility nowadays. We have not only personal data on ourselves but also might have some on our friends and family, as well, so it’s important to take care of that, too.
Thank you for reading!
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