Your Android smartphone is the hub of your digital life. It’s a bank, shopping mail, photo album, GPS navigator, business tool, and so much more, that you can keep in your pocket. But along with the convenience and power that you get from your mobile device, there are some important risks that you need to manage.
Smartphones and the apps you use gather and store a wealth of personal information about you – ranging from your personal photos and emails, banking passwords, and account logins to the locations you have visited and your contact lists. It is important to secure this data from malicious actors and understand how different apps use your info.
TCL takes a closer look at smartphone data privacy risks and how to manage them.
The data privacy risks you need to know about
Here are some of the potential privacy and security risks you should be aware of.
· Malware and spyware: Your device could be targeted by malware that damages your phone or steals information like passwords.
· App permissions: Many apps gather personal data they don’t need, like your location or contacts. In some cases, they can send this data even when you are not using them.
· Data collection and sharing: Some apps and online services share your personal information with advertisers.
· Data breaches and hacks: Cybercriminals can use techniques like phishing to get your logins and passwords to access your phone or apps like online banking.
· Theft: Thieves can steal your physical device to get into your personal data and apps.
How to protect your privacy
Your Android phone is made with security in mind. Use the built-in features to protect your device.
Protect your phone with a strong password or biometrics: Lock access to your phone behind a secure password or PIN that no one else can guess. Depending on the model of your phone, you may also be able to set up biometric id like facial or fingerprint recognition to secure your device.
Enable two-step verification: To prevent anyone from accessing accounts such as Google or social media, use a secondary authentication process like a one-time PIN or authenticator app.
Keep your software updated: Install Android and app updates promptly to allow your phone to benefit from any security updates or patches that fix vulnerabilities.
Use a password manager to manage passwords: You should use different passwords for different apps and services. A password manager like Google’s Password Manager can suggest, save and fill in strong, unique passwords for all your accounts.
Review app permissions regularly: Regularly audit which apps have access to sensitive features and remove unnecessary permissions. In the privacy dashboard, you can see which apps are accessing data, which permissions apps are using, and when that access is happening.
Enable Google Play Protect: This feature should be enabled by default. Google Play Protect checks apps when you install them. It also periodically scans your device. If it finds a potentially harmful app, it might send you a notification, disable the app or even remove it automatically.
Be cautious with links and attachments: Phishing attacks are frequently targeted through emails or messages with links and attachments, so be careful which links and attachments you open.
Use Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock: Theft Detection Lock in some Android 15 devices automatically locks the screen when the device senses motions associated with theft. Offline Device Lock, also in Android 15, automatically locks the screen of your unlocked phone after a short period of being used offline.
Set up the find my phone and remote wipe features: Android smartphones allow you to locate and wipe them remotely as soon as they connect to a network. This enables you to recover your phone if you’ve lost it and to remove your data and login details if you can’t get it back.
Stick to the official app store: While it can be tempting to ‘sideload’ apps, it’s usually safer to stick to an official app store like Google Play or the one offered by your smartphone manufacturer. Apps on these stores are carefully vetted for malware and other privacy issues. Apps from non-official stores are more likely to contain malicious code.
About TCL Mobile
TCL Mobile specialises in the research, development and manufacturing of smartphones, tablets and connected devices. On a mission to deliver 5G for all, TCL Mobile helps its customers ‘Inspire Greatness’ in their lives through industry leading technology and solutions.