They are important items in our day-to-day lives. They are with us everywhere and are home to loads of private and confidential information. For a mom, this is a device that your little ones will request to use every other time. An Android device helps you to access and also store all sorts of information. This means that if some information therein falls into the wrong hands, the outcome could be disastrous. But how do you prevent this from happening when your device has so many users? This post brings to light some of the cyber risks associated with Android devices as well as 3 handy tips on how to secure your android device.
Cyber risks associated with Android devices
Phishing attacks
Android devices have become prime targets for phishing attacks. These can be sent to your device through malicious links through emails, short messages, and nowadays through links shared via messaging platforms such as WhatsApp.
Mobile Trojans
These are viruses that allow an attacker remote access to all information and data exchanges happening through a mobile device. The malicious Trojans can find their way into your device through seemingly legit applications that have spyware functionality attached to them.
Rogue WIFI connections
Some WIFI hotspots have rogue settings that allow administrators to eavesdrop on connected users’ traffic even after they have disconnected from the network. The eavesdropping and unauthorized data harvesting might happen without you even suspecting it. This is because Android devices offer limited warnings on their screens.
Luckily, with a few tools and knowledge, these risks can be averted.
3 ways to secure your Android device
Vouch for smart downloads
Only install or download apps from trusted sources such as Google Play and make it a habit to go for applications that are verified or from a trusted developer. Because your children will be using your android device once in a while, teach them the importance of trusted downloads or better still, let them ask for your approval before downloading any additional application.
Invest in mobile security
It’s difficult to stay with an Android device without connecting to a shared internet connection. It’s even harder when you are running low on your data plan yet your favorite café offers its clients unlimited free Wi-Fi.
By investing in mobile security such as downloading a VPN for Android; you can rest easy knowing that all your online interactions remain private and confidential irrespective of the security vulnerabilities that exist in a network.
A VPN is an easy but effective way of masking your internet traffic from spies and eavesdroppers.
Enable 2FA authentication
Enable two-factor authentication on all your devices including the Google account. The verification process sends a short message with an authentication code before approving new logins from unknown devices.
Make it a habit to run constant security checks on all the applications on your device just to ensure that recovery and security measures are up-to-date.
In summary
As a parent, your Android device is not ‘yours’ alone. Your kids will want to access it at one time or the other. Therefore, it is important that you teach them the best security practices, and for a child, an effective way to do this is by avoiding strange correspondences and asking for your assistance while downloading kid-friendly applications. With this and the security tips discussed above, your Android device will be safe and secure irrespective of the active user.
