A mobile phone is not just a device to make calls in today's world. Whether it's making payments, storing essential information, clicking pictures, communicating with others, or watching movies, a mobile phone acts as a one-stop shop for almost all your daily activities. And losing or misplacing it can create a lot of panic as it involves the risk of any unauthorised person accessing all your data and sensitive personal information. Hence, it's vital to keep your mobile phone out of reach from opportunistic thieves.
Here are a few tips to keep your handset safe from unauthorised access.
Avoid using public Wi-Fi: Avoid using free Wi-Fi connections available at airports, railway stations, coffee shops, etc. One of the most significant risks with free Wi-Fi is that it enables hackers to position themselves between you and the connection point. Hence, instead of sending data directly to the hotspot, you end up sending all your information to the hacker. Thus, the hacker gets access to every information you send out.
Keep tracking and remote locking setting on: Most of us use a complicated pattern, face/fingerprint recognition, or multi-digit code to lock the screen of your handset. But thieves use tricks that easily bypass this initial security mechanism. So, keeping your tracking and remote locking setting on is one of the most secure ways to protect your handset from unauthorised use.
Use a strong password: Using a strong password in each app will make it challenging for thieves to guess and access your information. Also, keep different passwords for each app and change them periodically.
Use security software: Using security software will increase the protection of your device against hacking and viruses.
Encrypt your data: Data encryption stores the data in an unreadable and scrambled form. Only the person with the correct encryption key can decrypt this data. Data encryption ensures that an unauthorised person is not accessing the information stored in your device.
Download apps from authorised stores: Never download apps from unauthorised sources as these applications may contain malware that is harmful to your handset and the data stored in it.
Note down IMEI number: Every handset has a unique identification number called IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. If you lose your mobile, then using the IMEI number, the phone's location can be traced. Many insurers like Bajaj Finserv allows IMEI registration as part of their various mobile theft insurance products.
Protect yourself from SIM swap scams: To protect yourself from SIM swap scams, do the followings:
Don't reply to emails, calls, or text messages that ask for personal information.
Avoid sharing your personal information on public sites.
Start using an authentication app such as Google Authenticator, Authy, etc. These apps add an additional layer of security to your device.
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