4 Ways to Protect Your Mobile Phone, According to Cybersecurity Experts

Having a lock screen password on your phone is not enough to protect your sensitive information. Here are some additional measures to keep your device safe. Read on!

Have you ever thought about how your phone contains almost all the information about your life — from your trips and movements around the city to your bank accounts? Personal correspondence, photos, videos, passwords... Losing access to this information could take days to recover, and if you haven't backed it up to the cloud, many important things could be lost forever. No one wants such sensitive data falling into the wrong hands, especially criminals.

When using public Wi-Fi networks, whether in a café, station, or train, avoid making online purchases or logging into your bank account through a browser. Instead, use the data provided by your mobile carrier for these purposes. It's also highly recommended to install a VPN, which will act as a barrier between your information and hackers.

Remember: Your phone holds a lot of valuable information, so it should be as protected as possible from unauthorized access. If you can find an hour, or even just half an hour, to invest in additional protection for your phone, you can prevent many problems in case it's lost or stolen. Here are some basic security tips for any smartphone owner:

• Update Your Screen Lock Method: Hopefully, your screen lock code isn't "1234." In general, it's a good idea to switch from a simple passcode to more secure options like fingerprint scanning or facial recognition, which are far more reliable.
• Create Cloud Backups: The best way to protect against data loss is to make regular backups. Photos, videos, contacts, and other important data on your phone can be automatically stored in the cloud using services like Google Drive or iCloud.
• Install Automatic Updates: Make sure your device is set to automatically install updates. This ensures your phone has the latest antivirus protections and the most up-to-date operating system, which patches any security vulnerabilities or bugs.
• Use Strong Passwords for Apps: Many apps, especially those related to banking, shopping, or personal information, allow you to set up a separate password or enable two-factor authentication. Always use strong, unique passwords for these apps and enable extra layers of security whenever possible. This makes it harder for anyone to access your sensitive data even if they get past your phone's lock screen.