Skip to main content

Tools to secure your Android phone

Tools to secure your Android phone


Your Android smartphone, more often than not, carries a lot of personal data, including e-mails , passwords, photos and videos, messages, contacts - and even sensitive office documents. It is therefore important that you keep your handset from prying eyes. Equally crucial is a contingency plan, just in case it falls into the wrong hands...

Use Google

Did you know that Android - version 2.2 and later - comes with a feature that lets you track and manage your mobile device?
Look for Google Settings among all the apps on your handset. It is denoted by a grey icon with a lower case 'g' and a gear symbol. Tap on the app, and choose the last option which reads 'Android Device Manager' .

From here, you can activate features that will locate your device in case it is lost or misplaced, and you can also remotely lock and factory reset your handset.

After you've checked these options on your phone, you can log on to the Android Device Manager website (www.google.com/android/ devicemanager) using your Google account to control your phone remotely.

Protect your handset

An unprotected smartphone could prove to be a soft target for hackers. To guard against malicious apps and OS breaches, we suggest AntiVirus Security Free by AVG Mobile, Mobile Security & Antivirus by Avast Software, or Norton Security antivirus. In most cases, the free versions get the job done.

These tools check the apps you install for suspicious behaviour and even shield your phone from rogue websites. Most free versions can also track your phone in case it is stolen or misplaced; sound an alarm to help you locate it, and even remotely wipe the data on a lost device.

Note: Always choose and run only one antivirus software on your handset.

Snap the intruder

If you want a tool that will help you identify the person who has stolen your smartphone, install Lockwatch Anti-Theft by Bloketech. This app uses the front camera to click a photo of the thief who has attempted to unlock your phone with the wrong code. It then e-mails the picture to you along with GPS location, making it easy for law enforcers to track and identify the thief.

The best part is that Lockwatch works silently in the background, so a person trying to gain access to your device doesn't even know he's been photographed.

Track your device

With Prey Anti Theft installed on your phone, you can track its geographical location as well as control the phone remotely. If there is no internet connection, you can send an SMS command to the device to receive its geolocation details. You can remotely lock the handset, unlock it; display a message to the thief on its screen, sound an alarm, take a picture of the crook, and even wipe the data from the phone.

Dos & Don'ts 

* Do not download attachments on your phone from e-mails sent by unknown contacts.

* Before installing an app, take a look at the permissions it seeks. For example, an app that allows you to scribble notes should not ask permission to see your contacts.

* Install apps that have a good rating and a healthy number of downloads (at least over 10,000)

* Use a PIN/Password on your lockscreen.

* Don't connect an app to your Google, Facebook and Twitter accounts, unless you have very good reasons to do so. Just because an app asks you for your account details, doesn't mean you should comply.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Google Pixel, Pixel XL pre-orders open: Here are the unique features

Google Pixel, Pixel XL pre-orders open: Here are the unique features Google  Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones are available on Flipkart for pre-order. And it looks like Google is only bringing the ‘Quite Black’ colour variant to India for now, with ‘Very Silver’ and ‘Really Blue’ both not available in India yet. Google Pixel and Pixel XL with their premium pricing are set to compete with the likes of Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus,  Samsung Galaxy S7  and Galaxy S7 edge. Google Pixel and Pixel XL are first ‘Made by Google’ smartphones, and come with Google Assistant in-built, which is also the highlight of the devices. Honor 8 First Look Video Google Pixel and Pixel XL have a aluminum and glass design. Google Pixel is priced at Rs 57,000 for 32GB version in India. The 128GB variant of Google Pixel costs Rs 66,000. Google Pixel XL is available at Rs 67,000 for 32GB stor...

Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation

Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation: Film Review Thanks to a sharp script that springs a real surprise or two and a pace that never slackens, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation rates as the second-best of the numerous franchise titles of the summer, after Mad Max: Fury Road. Armed with an absorbing mystery plot that does more than just connect the dots between action set-pieces (the most outlandish of which is dispensed with in a Bond-like opener), writer-director Christopher McQuarrie maintains the uptick in M:I quality established by the last two entries, and should land this entry within the series' customary range of a half-billion bucks worldwide. Working with Tom Cruise for the fifth time (if you include his uncredited rewrite on the last M:I feature, Ghost Protocol), McQuarrie benefits dramatically from extending the IMF team's official ostracization to a point of total disenfranchisement from the American government; in an early scene, the CIA chief (Alec B...

How To Solve The Rubik's Cube

How To Solve The Rubik's Cube easily Rubik's Cube Français : Rubik's Cube Bahasa Melayu: Kiub Rubik Română: Cubul Rubik Русский: Кубик Рубика Tiếng Việt: Lập phương Rubik Italiano: Cubo di Rubik (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) some may think it is impossible to solve, even  Erno Rubik didn't think there was a combination to there are 43,000,000,000,000,000,000 (that is 43 quintillion ) possible combinations . So how can you solve the cube without memorizing 43 quintillion different combinations? there are things called algorithms that are based on mathematical equations that get pieces to places without messing up the whole cube.    Some of you may be wondering why i wanted to learn to solve the Rubik's cube , well I am very big into math and I am Very good at memorizing things in fact I have an IQ of 120 but you don't need a high iq to learn how to solve the Rubik's cube . I learn this method last Christmas when I was bored on Christmas break an...