To no surprise, Android rules the smartphone market with a whopping 70.85% share under its belt. Known to be one of the most user-friendly operating systems in the market, Android won the trust of users worldwide in no amount of time, but the booming malware market has raised concerns over every data security feature it boasts. As per the 2015 report of G Data (a data security solution company), the number of Android malware samples has reached to 2.3 million from 10,000 in 4 years. Securing your android device isn’t easy in a market full of thieves eyeing for a prey; however, you can take a few steps to enhance the security of your data meaningfully without spending much or any amount.
Basic Security: Leverage Built-In Lock Features
Let’s begin with the basics! Setting up a screen lock is the simplest way to secure your android device. To secure your phone using the build-in lock features, head to settings > security > screen lock and secure your device with a pin, pattern, or password.
Encrypt Your Device To Keep Data Safe
Encrypting data makes your essential information useless for the one who tries to steal your phone. Once you encrypt your data, your phone asks for a numeric pin or password each time you power on your device. Not even factory data reset or erasing all data lets the crooks unencrypt your device’s information.
Keep The Operating System And Applications Up-To-Date
Keeping your operating system and applications updated helps you gain early access to software updates, better bug-fixes, and security patches that cure android vulnerabilities. To stay updated, set your applications to auto-update and ensure that your device is running on the latest OS update.
Set Up Android Device Manager To Track Your Device
Setting up Android device manager allows a user to lock, track, or wipe the content of the device remotely, if it's stolen. The app is available on google app store; it is fast, easy, and you won’t regret or feel robbed next time you lose your device.
Keep A Check On How Much You Permit
While using your android device, keep an eye on what your applications have access to. With the latest marshmallow 6 update, you can customize and adjust the app permissions from your device’s settings. By managing app permissions, you will be able to control what an app can and cannot access on your device even after you’ve installed it.
Download Apps From Trusted Source
Stop downloading applications from anywhere except Google play store. Google has no control over the applications outside the play store. Even if you have ample knowledge of the website you’re sourcing the application from, be really very careful and look into the details like app description, developer, and permissions before you download it.
Don’t Address Strangers and Turn 2-Step Verification On
Avoid clicking the links coming from unknown sources or contacts. Give a thorough attention to the information and delete it immediately; while some of them are absolutely harmless, most of them are not.
Along with avoiding malicious looking strange links, protect your account with an extra layer of protection. Protect your google account with both password and a code using 2-step verification.
Back-Up Your Android Data
By backing up your android, you can easily recover data if a device is lost, stolen, or damaged. Tie all your information like data, photos, and videos with your Google account. It will allow you to access your important data any day, by signing into your account through any web browser.
Android security issues, especially with the earlier updates of the OS have somewhere or the other affected the worldwide device adoption. Features like device encryption and remote management have although improved the number of the malware cases; however a lot depends on how smartly the users store and access information on their Android.
Auhtor Bio - Anurag Gupta is a budding entrepreneur with stakes in WeblinkIndia.net, an acclaimed Web Designing & Development Company, headquartered in India. He also happens to be a keen writer, sharing insights, tips, and tutorials on subjects related to the ever evolving landscape of Web Designing and Development.