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Most of the smartphones today are running on Android and it’s true that Android is little more susceptible to malware attacks than iOS and is less secured.The two serious issues with an android device are longer battery life and security issues.We have already discussed about all the possible ways to conserve your android phone’s battery life.If you have not read it, then read it here – How to get better battery life on your smartphone.
We will now discuss the best practices and tips to keep your android device malware free.You can make your device impervious to the most dastardly digital assaults by following these tips. These tips could help you keep your personal information very confidential in your Android device.So we suggest you to stay out of the reach of cyber criminals and keep your data safe.
Make sure that you install apps only from trusted sources
Double check the software you install before installing. Prefer to download apps from Google Play store, Amazon store and other prominent ones. Before downloading an app check all the reviews and make sure that the app is genuine. Downloading dodgy apps is one of the most common methods of infection on Android. Do you know that , before being removed from Google Play store, a fake BBM app manged to get more than 100,000 downloads and the app was a spamming service. Also don’t be in a hurry to install new apps, make sure that you check twice before installing the app. If you download a dodgy one, you become the prey for the cyber criminals. Also check for the developer while installing an app.
App permissions
Another important thing to be taken care of is the app permissions.Before downloading and installing an application you have to read them but all we do is skipping it and hitting on Accept button.Apps do need various types of permissions to offer its functionality, say an application which locates your friends nearby would need to know your location.So such applications do need permission to access your network location.But the point here is few malicious apps do take permissions to access your personal information even if it is not necessary.So don’t skip reading the kind of permissions that apps prompt you to accept before installing.
Install an anti-malware program on your phone to keep your android device malware free
Make sure that you install an anti-malware program on your phone that is some kind of anti-virus software will be handy to protect your phone. It’s the second line of defense. Avast, AntiVirus Security, Norton Security & Avira Antivirus are some of them. Now these apps are also offering features like anti-theft , remote lock and many more.Your stock android applications also offer some level of security and have many features which many of us ignore and in fact do not know.Read them here – Less known android features in latest versions.
Don’t cache passwords on your device
Though it’s annoying, it’s true. Caching passwords is also a godsend to the one who steals your phone. Make sure that you don’t cache passwords on your devices. This can lead to loss of sensitive data if the device is placed in wrong hands. Security measures like locking screens and app locks help but they are not foolproof.A simple malicious script in an application could export all your confidential data to a third party.
Check your privileges
Did you root your android device so that you get access to system files where you could modify and delete them?Then be careful as many hackers try to cash on these rooted devices by offering apps exclusively for these devices with many extraordinary features. Some apps with root access will turn to be very dangerous. A malicious app with root access will be able to do anything on your phone and you could not even help it as you won’t be knowing that this is happening and all these run as daemon processes in the back-end. So be extra careful while installing apps if you’ve root your Android device. We suggest you not to root your smartphone.
Update software
If there is an update for your device, make sure that you install it. Google, Manufacturers, and carriers are constantly pushing out updates with bug fixes, new features, and enhancements that can make your device more secure and impervious of attacks. Google has recently rolled out KitKat 4.4.4 update as the 4.4.3 could not tackle the heart bleed bug.Read more on HeartBleed bug – How to protect yourself from heartbleed bug.
Avoid free Wi-Fi
We all love freebies.Free, public WiFi is like blessing as it provides a faster internet connection for your device. But sometimes these unsecured connections could prove disastrous as there is a chance of getting hacked and losing confidential data. It’s pretty easy for hackers to connect to free WiFi and once you both are on the same network, they can easily see all the information you are sending over the internet. So it is best practice to stick to secured connections and if possible to your device’s mobile connection. Avoid using public WiFi networks because cyber criminals can intercept your data and capture your login credentials, financial information, and passwords.
Settings
In Android operating system, Google includes numerous settings that can prevent malicious attacks. Most of the Android devices that are running Android 2.2 or higher have access to Google’s malware scanner. When you download and install an application from some other store other than Play Store, Google will scan the application and warn you about potential threats.This feature can be accessed in the Google Settings app in your device’s app drawer and can be enabled by default. If your device is running Android 4.2 or higher then you can access the feature by heading over to Settings, clicking on Security and scrolling down to verify applications.
Turn off Bluetooth
Make sure that you turn off your Bluetooth when you’re not using it, as there are chances that cyber criminals could hack your mobile.Never pair your mobile with an unknown device and turn off Bluetooth and hotspot when not in use.
Check whether the website is safe
Well hackers employ mechanisms like phishing which involves creation of fake web pages which exactly look like original web pages and stealing of your confidential information.Many of the websites displayed in search engine result pages are not good and they contain viruses and spam.They comprise of scripts which are automatically downloaded into your device and run as daemon processes and steal your data.So be careful before browsing and visiting new sites.We suggest you to make use of these tools to judge whether the site is safe or not.Read here – How to check if the website is safe
If you know anymore tips to keep your android device malware free then please do write in comments section.
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