June 22, 2022
3093
0How to Protect Your Phone from Espionage
In reality, smartphones are not the personal devices of their owners. Others can get almost any information remotely from them.
The easiest way to avoid this is simply not to use a mobile phone. But in the modern world, this is almost impossible.
Let’s talk in more detail about how to avoid espionage through your smartphone or unauthorized access to information stored on it.
Several useful rules to protect your data are here.
15 rules to protect your phone
1. Don’t leave your phone anywhere
The basic rule for all owners of these newfangled gadgets is not to leave your phones unattended. Do not forget it in a café or restaurant, in a park or public places. Remember, if you leave your phone unattended, there will always be someone who can benefit from it.
2. Don’t give the phone to anyone
Your phone is your phone. No need to give it to friends, relatives, or mere acquaintances. There is always a risk that one of them may (inadvertently) install a spyware application or visit a malicious website with viruses.
3. Do not use the public internet
Remember that the internet in a public place is evil — because a hacker can easily hack this network or create a fake access point and, after you connect to it, gain access to your data.
What’s wrong with public Wi-Fi? Read more here.
4. Don’t forget to update the apps
Keep an eye on the release of updates to your software. Developers often improve the system and fix security issues.
5. Turn off the microphone in your phone
The included microphone is a risk. During espionage, it may be possible to use the microphone, so it is better to turn it off. Therefore, find in the settings a way to disconnect the microphone from those applications that do not need it.
6. Be careful with the applications you use
Remember that not all applications in the online store are legitimate. Most apps try to get even more information from you, which is why their “Terms & Conditions” text seems endless. Therefore, before downloading and using any program, read these rules and think about whether you should agree.
7. Use a secure web browser
It is important to choose the right browser that can provide you with security. After all, we use the browser to make purchases, save passwords from accounts, search for information, visit websites, and much more. Therefore, it is important to use only a proven and secure browser.
The best web browsers to use are here.
8. Refuse tracking of your data
Today, all applications request consent to access and use your data. Some of them want not only to collect but also to store and possibly even transfer your data to third parties. This is necessary primarily to show you relevant advertisements. However, no one guarantees that the data will not be used for other purposes.
9. Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if you don’t use them
When connected to public networks, your smartphone may be compromised. While walking or traveling, your phone may inadvertently connect to the nearest unsecured network.
10. Use an antivirus
If you think that antivirus is needed only for your computer, then you are mistaken. A good antivirus can help you protect your smartphone data from prying eyes.
11. Do not click on suspicious links
Avoid unknown and suspicious links. Simply do not click on them. It is not necessary to follow the links that came to you from an unknown number in the messenger or unknown addressee in an email. Hackers or scammers often try to steal personal or financial information by sending messages about good discounts or offers to participate in a lottery.
Learn more about phishing attacks here.
12. Delete unfamiliar files
Scrolling through the information contained in the phone, you can find unfamiliar files and applications that can monitor your actions or conversations. Therefore, do a preventive cleaning of your smartphone and delete unknown contents and unnecessary files.
13. Disable tracking of your activity on the internet and in applications
In the settings, disable tracking your activity in apps or the internet. This may harm you and save your personal data for later transmission.
14. Use your phone’s security settings
To protect users from various threats, mobile developers add various additional security settings. For example, you can add two-factor authentication, so access to data will be protected by several levels of security and user authentication. Steps may include entering a password or a secret code or using a fingerprint.
There are also several other authorization schemes, including Face ID or a graphic key.
15. Reset your phone to factory settings
If your phone is already compromised, you can use the reset settings. However, in this case, all your data will be deleted along with the malware.
How to reset your phone after clicking a phishing link — learn more here.
How to protect your online activity on a PC
In addition to protecting your phone, you should also pay attention to ways to protect your computer’s data. After all, every day we spend a third of our lives on the computer. We can work, chat, watch movies and TV shows, shop, or just relax by playing games. And all this time our online activity is constantly monitored.
What should you do to avoid this? Transfer your online activity to Utopia P2P — a decentralized ecosystem of a new generation that ensures privacy and security for each person. It is an anonymous and protected place where everyone can feel safe and secure about their data and online activity.
The ecosystem is closed and nobody can get access to the data. After anonymous registration users get access to all the built-in tools of the ecosystem: messenger, email, browser, games, and more.
Read more about Utopia P2P here.
