4 Best Phone Safety Tips for 2020

Pretty much everyone has a cell phone at this point, including the older generation. They are dead handy for instant communication via text and call but that isn’t their limit. You can surf the internet at any time you wish as well as play games, do banking and take lots of photos. Your whole life can be organised on your phones calendar! When you have something so important, you must keep it safe.

People use cell phones to pull off a ton of scams every day. If you don’t know what to look out for, hackers can easily trick you into things that look innocent. That’s why we’re here with four of the best phone safety tips to keep your cyber-security up to date in 2020.

1) Be Careful With Phone Calls and Texts

Phishing scams are one of the most popular methods for stealing people’s information online. Hackers use a fake website to pose as a legitimate institution to convince people to save sensitive information to the site. Phishing schemes can happen through email, call, or text.

Going online can help you figure out if a phone call you received was legit. Unknowncalls.org allows users to find and post phone numbers and categorize them based on which kind of scam it is. Calling scam numbers and clicking on links from their texts can rack up big bills on your end.

2) Always Use Authentication

It goes without saying that, some form of authentication on your mobile device will prevent people from snooping. Still, many do not heed this advice. A research report from the Pew Research Center says that up to a third of Americans don’t use a screen lock.

There’s practically no excuse for not having security measures on your phone. Many smartphones come with fingerprint or face recognition capabilities. This means no one, except for you, can access your phone without your permission. And putting in a password every time you want to use your phone isn’t too much of a time-waster.

3) Check App Permissions

When we use a new application on our phone, we often give them all the “permissions” they ask for. However, not all apps need permission to all of your information. If your flashlight app asks for your camera and microphone, this could be a security problem.

The easiest way to prevent this is to read all the permissions it asks for, and manually un-check them. This may seem like an inconvenience, but it keeps you safe in the long run.

4) Download Security Software

Few people use security software on their phones, as they may think it’s unnecessary. However, it’s as essential to have security devices on your phone as it is on your computer.

The truth is, the two devices are as equally susceptible to breaches and hacks. Cell phones nowadays are essentially mini computers, so of course, hackers would want to break into one.

You may consider a remote wiping software that allows you to delete all information on your device no matter where you are. This means if your device is stolen, you can clear it of its sensitive contents. You can even find an option that erases your phone’s contents after a certain number of authentication checks.

In Conclusion

Cell phones may be small, but they’re an essential part of life today. That’s why you must consider your safety when you use anything on your device. Paying close attention and installing security measures can make it hard for hackers to breach your cell.

Cyber-security hacks can affect anyone. It’s as easy as using an unsecured public Wi-Fi connection in the wrong crowd. Keep a backup of everything, and always correctly encrypt your information for maximum security. This way, you’ll be prepared for any phishing ad the internet can throw at you.