Virtually everyone now knows how important it is to ensure that a personal computer is protected from viruses and similar security threats. However, you might not realize that it is just as important that you ensure your smartphone is similarly protected. Many people now perform sensitive transactions and store personal data on their phones on a regular basis. However, as smartphone usage and capability has skyrocketed, protection techniques have unfortunately not. This has created a gold mine for scammers and hackers.
Fortunately, these simple tips can help you make sure that you are protected:
# 1: Only Install Trustworthy Apps
Far too many smartphone owners install apps with reckless abandon. As scammers grow savvier, this becomes an increasingly risky habit. To minimize your chances of unwittingly installing a virus on your phone, only download apps from the official app market for your phone’s operating system. In addition, develop the habit of checking user reviews for every app before you install it. If a particular app is liable to leave your system vulnerable to viruses and other forms of corruption, its reviews will let you know.
# 2: Install Antivirus Protection
You would never use a laptop or other computer on the internet without first installing some type of comprehensive antivirus program to protect it. You should be just as careful to do the same for your smartphone. Most major antivirus companies, including McAfee and Norton, offer smartphone protection solutions. You can even find certain free options from the major smartphone app markets. As with any other app, be careful to only install safe, reliable and well-reviewed antivirus apps on your phone.
# 3: Use Common Sense Online
Most web-savvy individuals today know to use common sense when they are online. This means only clicking on links and opening attachments that you are certain are safe and legitimate. If an email contains a link or attachment that you do not recognize, you likely already know not to open it on your personal computer. However, many people that generally know better completely forget to follow online safety habits when accessing their internet via their smartphones. To minimize your chances of accidentally installing a virus, simply use the same level of caution whether you are using a smartphone or a traditional computer to access the internet.
# 4: Limit External Access to Your Phone
Finally, even if you use common sense online and maintain high quality virus protection on your phone, it can still become corrupted if you unwittingly allow unsafe external access to it. One of the simplest things you can do to prevent this is to double check that your phone’s Bluetooth is set to “undiscoverable.” If you leave your phone set to “discoverable,” you dramatically increase the possibility that it will become infected through its Bluetooth connection. Even walking near an infected phone could sometimes allow a virus to transfer to yours. Similarly, you should not allow anyone else to use the memory card from your phone in theirs. Even if the other person is someone you trust and know would not deliberately damage your phone, swapping memory cards from phone to phone could infect yours if one of the other phones was infected without the owner’s knowledge.
The author of this article Jim Deacon went out and bought a samsung galaxy s2 and is very impressed with it.
# 1: Only Install Trustworthy Apps
Far too many smartphone owners install apps with reckless abandon. As scammers grow savvier, this becomes an increasingly risky habit. To minimize your chances of unwittingly installing a virus on your phone, only download apps from the official app market for your phone’s operating system. In addition, develop the habit of checking user reviews for every app before you install it. If a particular app is liable to leave your system vulnerable to viruses and other forms of corruption, its reviews will let you know.
# 2: Install Antivirus Protection
You would never use a laptop or other computer on the internet without first installing some type of comprehensive antivirus program to protect it. You should be just as careful to do the same for your smartphone. Most major antivirus companies, including McAfee and Norton, offer smartphone protection solutions. You can even find certain free options from the major smartphone app markets. As with any other app, be careful to only install safe, reliable and well-reviewed antivirus apps on your phone.
# 3: Use Common Sense Online
Most web-savvy individuals today know to use common sense when they are online. This means only clicking on links and opening attachments that you are certain are safe and legitimate. If an email contains a link or attachment that you do not recognize, you likely already know not to open it on your personal computer. However, many people that generally know better completely forget to follow online safety habits when accessing their internet via their smartphones. To minimize your chances of accidentally installing a virus, simply use the same level of caution whether you are using a smartphone or a traditional computer to access the internet.
# 4: Limit External Access to Your Phone
Finally, even if you use common sense online and maintain high quality virus protection on your phone, it can still become corrupted if you unwittingly allow unsafe external access to it. One of the simplest things you can do to prevent this is to double check that your phone’s Bluetooth is set to “undiscoverable.” If you leave your phone set to “discoverable,” you dramatically increase the possibility that it will become infected through its Bluetooth connection. Even walking near an infected phone could sometimes allow a virus to transfer to yours. Similarly, you should not allow anyone else to use the memory card from your phone in theirs. Even if the other person is someone you trust and know would not deliberately damage your phone, swapping memory cards from phone to phone could infect yours if one of the other phones was infected without the owner’s knowledge.
The author of this article Jim Deacon went out and bought a samsung galaxy s2 and is very impressed with it.
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