Android’s open-source nature brings numerous perks for users. But, it additionally makes the platform at risk of protection issues. Malicious app makers and hackers use Android’s flexibility to steal person’s personal data like password, bank details and so on. With human beings relying on their smartphones to save personal in addition to touchy data, this could be a major issue. aside from that, there’s additionally the difficulty of a lost or stolen cellphone. Your cellphone within the incorrect hands may land you in a few serious hassle. Nicely, as they are saying, precaution is usually better than cure, so in case you haven’t yet secured your Android device, you must now!

Here are some important tips to ensure that your Android smartphone or tablet is secure:

1. Encrypt your device

Google has taken a few steps to make certain that your Android device stays secure and one of those steps consist of ability to encrypt your device. There’s an “Encrypt phone” alternative on Android smartphones that can be found in Settings->Security. The feature encrypts your accounts, settings, downloaded apps, app data, media and different documents. After you have encrypted your device, you may should input the PIN, password to get right of entry to the files. You need to encrypt your tool in case you keep touchy statistics on your phone, in order that even if your device is hacked or stolen, your information will now not be accessed until the encryption key is entered.

Once you have encrypted your device, you can only decrypt it by doing a factory reset. Also, the encryption process requires you to plug in the charger throughout the process and it takes an hour or more. Don’t interrupt the process though, as Google says you might lose all or some of your data.

2. Check App Permissions

Android 6.0 Marshmallow includes iOS-like app permissions, which makes certain you could preserve a take a look at on what info a selected app is probably taking. not like previous versions of Android, apps on Marshmallow ask to your permission when they want it and you’ve the potential to deny an app a particular permission. You actually have the ability to manipulate every app’s permission through going to Settings->Apps. There, you may select an app after which tap on Permissions to disable a permission they have. With this nifty feature, you may ensure that an app isn’t taking any info you’re unwilling to offer.

3. Use Android’s built-in lock features

Android includes a number of locking features to ensure that your data stays secured no matter what. You can set a display screen lock by means of going to Settings->Security->Screen lock and deciding on among pattern, PIN or Password. The OS additionally includes a cool “Smart Lock” feature, which routinely unlocks the tool whilst your relied on devices, places, faces and voices are in close proximity. Smart Lock is best available when you have set up a screen lock.

4. Set up Android Device Manager

Android Device Manager is a very benifical app, which comes pre-installed on many devices and you simply need to allow it. It lets you remotely ring your phone, erase data or lock it. You can permit it by going to Google Settings (Android 5.0 or previous) or Settings->Google (Android 6.0 Marshmallow), then go to Security and turn on “Remotely locate this device” and “Allow remote lock and erase”. Once you have enabled it, you can sign in to your Google account on any another device over at android.com/devicemanager and take control of the remote actions like erase, lock and find your phone in case your device is stolen or lost.

5. Store important data in internal storage

There’s a motive that Nexus gadgets and iPhones don’t include expandable garage. An external storage no longer simplest hampers the overall performance, it additionally involves dangers of dropping your critical facts. The hassle lies in outside memory using a mix of EXT and FAT file system, that is taken into consideration to be pretty easy to get access to. Plus, whilst you connect your device to a laptop, the packages on the PC have block-level access to files on a sd card, accordingly having the capacity to plant viruses or some other code. We do no longer endorse storing your sensitive and important data to your tool however in case you must, you need to do it on your device,s internal storage.

Also, Android 6.0 Marshmallow contains the ability to add an external sd card as “Adoptable storage“, which encrypts the storage and adds it to the internal storage, making it way more secure and fast.

6. Secure your network

Network isn’t secure, it can be the entrance for hackers to steal your data, so it’s significant that you browse the web securely. For that, you can use a VPN app on Android. There are some great VPN apps available on Android and these apps confirm that all the information you send across the web is encrypted and your identity remains hidden. A VPN app is your best bet if you need to conduct important transactions on the web without having to worry about your data.

7. Stay wary of unknown WiFi networks

Who doesn’t love free net? A public WiFi network is definitely inviting but it comes with its own set of protection troubles. First off, an open public community permits for snooping, this means that everybody with little understanding can get to realize the websites you have got visited at the network. Also, there might be other compromised gadgets which are linked to the community, which would possibly result in malicious code being transferred to your device.

The whole network might even be a fake by hackers to get into your devices, so be very careful! The best way of protecting yourself is using a VPN app, like we mentioned above. So, if you surf on a public network daily, you should consider buying a good VPN app.

8. Don’t install apps from unknown sources

Users of Android have the capability to sideload apps, which comes in pretty convenient at times but it’s not secure. Some of the apps that are not available to download on the Google Play Store are possibly harmful and that’s the reason Google has blocked them. If you don’t need to take any probabilities on your security, you should only install apps from the Play Store, as apps available on the Store go through a difficult process of testing, after which they are published to the Store.

But if you still want to install apps from a third party or unknown source, you should turn on “Verify apps” in Settings->Google->Security or Google Settings->Security, depending on the Android version. This results in Google frequently checking if any of the apps installed are possibly harmful.

9. Keep your device updated

If you want to make sure that your Android device is safe against the latest malicious codes, you should keep your device up to date. Google along with smartphone manufacturers regularly release minor updates for devices, which bring in the latest security patches. While these updates don’t seem very important, they indeed are!

In case you need to ensure that your Android device is safe towards the latest malicious codes, you must keep your device updated. Google along with smartphone producers frequently release minor updates for devices, which bring in the present day safety patches. Whilst these updates don’t appear very critical, they certainly are!

10. Back up your device

If you don’t want to lose all your data and settings when your Android device is stolen or lost, you should consider backing up your device. To backup your device’s settings and app data, go to Settings->Backup & reset and turn on “Back up my data”. You can even back up your photos and videos to Google Drive by going to Google Photos app settings and turning on “Backup & sync”. For music, Google Play Music backups all your tracks to the web player, so you can go ahead restore it easily, although Google Play Music is not available in all the countries. Well, in that case, you will have to use one of the backup apps for Android.

If you don’t want to lose all of your data and settings while your Android device is stolen or misplaced, you have to take into account backing up your device. To backup your tool’s settings and app facts, visit Settings->Backup & reset and turn on “Back up my data”. You could even back up your photographs and motion pictures to Google drive through going to Google photographs app settings and turning on “Backup & sync”. For music, Google Play music backups all of your tracks to the web player, so you can cross ahead restore it effortlessly, although Google Play music isn’t always available in all the countries. Fine, in that case, you’ll have to use one of the backup apps for Android.

Bonus:

Don’t Root your device/ Use a Root Management App if you a rooted device

Rooting your Android device brings plenty of benefits (automation, custom ROMs, custom kernels and so forth.) however it additionally comes with its truthful share of flaws. Rooting makes sure that your device’s safety is open to be compromised, as there won’t be any respectable updates and apps can pass beforehand and take multiplied permissions. This might bring about facts theft and apps installing malicious code.

While we certainly don’t recommend rooting your device if you want to stay secure but if you must, you should install a root management app like SuperSU, which lets you grant or block root access to apps, thus giving you more control.