6 smart ways to secure your device

The world has gone mobile. This fact is justified by the increasing use of the smartphone and other mobile devices, with many tech-savvy individuals relying on these gadgets as handy substitutes to laptops and desktop computers. Considering the many tasks people carry out on their devices include mobile banking and online shopping, among others, the importance of ensuring the security of that device cannot be over-emphasised. The following tips from the Research and Development Unit of Yudala, Nigeria’s fastest growing e-commerce platform, will help keep your devices secure and less vulnerable to attack from hackers or data compromise in the event of a loss.

1. Embrace encryption: One of the best ways to safeguard your device is to encrypt your phone storage. Most smartphones have this encryption feature built in, hence your data is seamlessly encrypted even without your notice. Should your device not have this feature automatically enabled, you can activate it manually. With encryption, all the data in your device including pictures, messages, emails, etc., are scrambled into unreadable form. In the event that your device gets lost or stolen, unwarranted access to your sensitive data is prevented as your mails, videos, images and other personal information cannot be retrieved or decrypted without the PIN or password you set while encrypting the phone.

2. Always use a VPN when on public Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is often a source of joy for most smart device users. However, indiscriminate use of open Wi-Fi connections poses substantial security risks especially from lurking, eagle-eyed hackers. To avoid jeopardising your personal details, it is advisable to always use VPN when on public Wi-Fi. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. Through this, you can access the Internet using a private network while connecting to a public or unsecured Wi-Fi. In other words, a VPN creates a secure, encrypted connection, which can be thought of as a tunnel, between your computer and a server operated by the VPN service. Applications running across the VPN may therefore benefit from the functionality, security, and management of the private network. There are several free VPNs you can download and install on your device to provide this extra layer of security.

3. Never give out your device’s IMEI number: IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digitserial number given to a device. Every mobile phone, GSM modem or device with a built-in phone or modem has its own unique IMEI number. With this number, you can check some information about the device such as the country of origin, manufacturer/brand or model. Scammers posing as representatives of telecoms companies have been known to request the IMEI number of phone and other device users. Please bear in mind that it is unwise to give out your device’s IMEI number. You may just be handing over the vital information required for a potential hacker to clone your device and use it maliciously.

4. Be app-smart and not app-happy: Many smart device users are often app-happy. They waste no time in downloading every new app they come across without a second thought to the benefits or access to personal information requested by these apps. To ensure your device is better secured, you must endeavor to be app-smart rather than being app-happy. As a matter of importance, you must make it a habit to read the full detailed description of any app you wish to download. A significant number of apps request access to some features that may compromise your data such as your phone’s contacts, camera, emails, etc. In cases such as this and to avoid exposing your details, it is best to search for a less-intrusive alternative. Furthermore, being app-smart means that you download apps only from a trusted source such as App Store for iOS devices or Google Play for Android.