Cyber attacks on mobile Operating Systems are on the increase. Cyber criminals and hackers are stealing user’s identity, bank details, passwords, personal photographs and anything else which gives them control over the user’s identity. Therefore, it is extremely important to safeguard android devices from getting hacked.
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The Android mobile OS is the largest operating with over 80% share of the global smartphone market. Google has made the Android system open source which means it has been left open to attacks by hackers and cyber criminals.
It would appear that Android owners trust Google so much that they don’t take any precautions against these hackers. When the user realises his/her smartphone or tablet has been attacked and his/her bank balance has been depleted it is too late, the hacker has gone and moved on to the next Android.
It has been recognised that safeguards are needed for Android devices to prevent criminals ruining the lives of Android users. In a move to strengthen mobile security, an online security company has compiled some precautions that users can take to protect their phones, their identities, their lives and their finances.
Trend Micro, a specialist in mobile security has put together advice for Android users in the belief that the best way to prevent cyber hacking of Android devices is to stay safe online and mitigate these attacks.
The mobile OS landscape is constantly changing which makes mobile security ever more difficult, allowing the hackers to move in without being detected. To combat this situation, a number of online mobile security tips have been compiled in order to protect the device and its data.
Lock you phone
Because of their own careless actions, users are open to hacking simply because they don’t make use of password or pattern protection, they simply press the power button and the machine are on and powered up. The hacker can do exactly the same from a remote location; the access is not locked so he walks straight in. A strong random password can provide the padlock which will keep the hacker outside.
By using a password protected lock screen, users can be confident in the knowledge that their smartphone, even if it is stolen or lost cannot be opened and the data accessed. This simple action should be combined with the removal of all other data stored under either a Google ID or a Google E-Mail ID.
Encrypt
Android devices have the capability of data encryption, but because few users understand encryption it scares them off, as a result, this option is rarely used. If encryption is used it renders all data useless to the hacker, provided of course he doesn’t have the encryption code. Encryption requires the user to activate it from the OS security menu.
These smartphones have a number of other very straightforward security options which for reasons of speedy access, users very rarely activate. It is simple, use the security systems which are installed and ensure data is encrypted.
Use a VPN
It is the case that hackers are able to do what they do because users do not make use of the facilities available to them and even worse they use unsafe facilities such as public unsecure Wi-Fi. The simple solution to this is not to use unsecure Wi-Fi routers, however by using the VPN for Android like HideMyAss VPN. HMA makes it very difficult for the hacker to locate the Android device and hence break into the machine and steal data. Quite simply use a VPN when connecting to any network, particularly when overseas.
Avoid financial transactions
Other security measures that users should consider include making financial and confidential transactions in insecure areas to ensure passwords are strong and not linked to any personal favourites or family member information. Furthermore do not use a password for more than one application as this allows the hackers to easily guess passwords for other data on the machine.
Secure your apps
Apps are a potential point of access for hackers, users should ensure that any applications they purchase are the official ones from a trusted app store; do not download from third party sites or even worse apps which are known to be pirate copies. These are the easiest ways of allowing malware to access the smartphone.
Finally, the most obvious security precaution of all is to install an approved security app which provides features such as anti-theft, tracking and all the other regular features of the security protection software. It would seem to be a logical step at this point to ensure that the security software includes android anti-virus, without which the consequences of online Armageddon are significant. All the above tips are very important to safeguard android devices from getting hacked.
