The Apple product’s craze is real. More and more people are becoming more brand conscious when it comes to their gadgets and when it comes to functionality, many people are choosing to use Apple products like the iPhone. You can easily tell that people are willing to spend a lot on this every time a new iPhone device is released. People would line up for this and spend more than usual for it.
iPhones are known for how secure they are as you can’t run apps on this that Apple doesn’t allow. Apple’s review process for apps is more stringent and it’s less likely for any malicious apps to get into the Apple store. However, even with all the safety measures that iPhone devices have, cybercriminals are becoming more creative when it comes to hacking into someone’s device.
In fact, in 2019, Google researchers found that an unknown hacker has been using 14 security flaws of the iPhone. This attack that they discovered involves software that can monitor every aspect of the phone. The software also enables the hacker to control the device itself. This is why even if the iPhone is known for its security, you still should do extra steps to protect your device and yourself from these cybercriminals. Here are some tips that could help you out.
Encrypt your mobile device
People now browse the internet with their mobile device and doing this with an unencrypted network or connection enables cybercriminals to access or track your online activity. This makes you vulnerable to cyberattacks and cybercrime. Browsing the internet with an unsecured network could result in loss of privacy and breach of private data and even sensitive information.
This is why you should protect your phone with a VPN. Using a VPN makes your network and your internet or online footprint encrypted. This means that your mobile phone activities cannot be accessed or traced by anybody online.
Only download the apps that you need
The apps that you download on your phone can gain access to your information and even to the files or data stored on your mobile device. This is why you should always read the fine print before you install any apps.
Some apps get sneaky about the access that you’re giving them. This is why you should avoid apps that ask for your consent to access data or information that doesn’t seem necessary for the app to function.
Only install apps that you need. If you haven’t been using an app for a while now, just uninstall it. That makes one less app with the capability to access information from your device.
Use strong iCloud password security
As an iPhone user, you know what iCloud is and know why it’s important that you use a strong password for this. If your iCloud gets hacked, then the hacker can access any information you transferred to this space. This means that your photos, contact information, messages, calendar, and many others will be in the hands of the hacker.
It’s safe to use iCloud as the transfer of files to and from this is encrypted, and so the best that you can do is to make sure that no one else can get into your iCloud account.
Use an antivirus software
If you own a smartphone, then it’s most likely that you use this every day to browse through the internet. This means that you’re visiting numerous sites and are also opening various emails from people you know and you don’t know. This leaves you susceptible to viruses, malware, and phishing.
To avoid all that, make sure that you have an antivirus installed on your phone. This helps you determine suspicious websites and files that are downloadable. It helps your device remain virus-free. It could also help boost your phone’s performance. It could also check if an app on your phone is running normally or being suspicious.
Activate your screen lock security
While an iPhone is generally secure, there’s still potential harm even if you’re not connected to the internet. There are times that we leave our phones unattended and this is just equal to leaving your information and data out there.
If your screen lock is not activated, someone could easily go through your phone and get the information that they need. This is why you should set up your screen lock password even if you already have a face or fingerprint scanner activated. If possible, set the screen lock time to the earliest possible as well.
Conclusion
Your iPhone or smartphone device is something that you use every day and for some, this is where they keep their important files, data, and information. These are just five extra steps that you can take to make sure that you are cyber secure and that your mobile phone won’t get hacked. Remember that it’s also your responsibility to remain safe as you use any devices that could contain your precious information.
