Odds are that you are reading this article on your smartphone. Why not? Our smartphones live in our pockets and enable easy access to social media, banking, directions, almost anything we can think of. Smartphones have become an essential part of our daily life, almost to the point where you might not realize how much personal information is stored on the device.

This data can be easily targeted by hackers, as it can be acquired and used against you. What can we do to help minimize this risk? To help you out, here are four tips.

1. Passcodes

Use the passcode or touch ID on your smartphone. Having your phone locked is the first step to keeping out thieves.

2. Check Your Apps

Apps are one of the foundations to making smartphones a part of our everyday life. However, do you really know what the app does beyond its intended use? Most apps use advertising to make their money, and this information is collected by developers to make customized services.

Official developers such as Apple and Google regularly test these apps to ensure that they are safe, but third party developers don’t always do this. Certain third party developers may use apps to install malware into your device, compromising your data. Don’t download any apps you are unsure of. Read app reviews carefully and check their ratings.

3. Recovery apps to Find your Lost or Stolen Smartphone

When you can’t find your smartphone, it is only natural for you to panic. Where was, I last night? Did I leave it in the car? Recovery apps on both iOS and Android can track the current location of your smartphone, and provide a GPS location. With iPhone, you can do this by using the “Find my iPhone” by going to your iCloud account and clicking the “Find Phone” icon. For Android, head over to your Google account, and access “Android Device Manager”.

4. Don’t Answer Spam Calls

These days, a lot of telemarketers will call your device to see if the number works. When this happens, your number is placed on a list and sold to other companies, resulting in an increase of spam calls and texts. You might even incur additional charges for texts that you don’t want to receive in the first place. To combat the spam callers, you can use a caller ID app such as “Current Caller ID” on Android, and “Truecaller” on iOS.

Sources:

https://www.cnet.com/au/pictures/best-practices-for-smartphone-security/

http://this.deakin.edu.au/this/tips-on-keeping-your-smartphone-safe?utm_source=plista&utm_medium=mc_display&utm_campaign=t3cybersecurity2016

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/keeping-smartphone-safe/

https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/smartphone-security-guide-keep-your-phone-data-safe/