How To: Your Phone's Biggest Security Weakness Is Its Data Connection Here's How to Lock It Down
After numerous scandals like the Equifax data breach and the 2016 US election, cybersecurity has become a significant issue for Americans. Unfortunately, anytime we use our devices, we're open to a cyber attack — especially when we browse the web. However, there are ways that we can make it harder for hackers and data miners.The biggest security weakness in your smartphone is its data connection — sadly, any device with always-on internet access will inherently carry risk. Although there are no foolproof methods, by using the following suggestions, you can better protect yourself from Russian hackers, big data, or even a nosey spouse.Don't Miss: The Best Phones for Privacy & Security
Step 1: Get a VPNPerhaps the single best way to improve your defenses while browsing the web is to use a VPN. A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) can offer two major security features: encryption and privacy.With the right VPN, all your data is encrypted during transit. Think of it this way: instead of driving your data in a regular car, it is now traveling in an armored truck. It may move slower, but it will be a lot harder for someone to access it while it is traveling from your phone to whatever website you're visiting.The second feature that a VPN provides is privacy. Your IP address is equivalent to your mailing address at home. Similar to how the post office uses your mailing address to send letters, your IP address is used by your network to move data between your device and the internet. Without a VPN, it is easy for someone to obtain the IP address of your device for a direct attack against your smartphone. How a VPN works. Image by CyberGhost VPN/YouTube VPNs create a secure tunnel between your Android device and the server (or router) that provides the VPN service. This server acts as a buffer between you and the internet. Imagine every time you send a letter, you give it to the mailman, who places the letter into another envelope marking the sender as himself. Now if someone comes across the letter, they would believe that it originated from the mailman and not you.VPNs work the same way. Whenever you send data to the internet, it will go through a secure server first before heading out to the web, which marks the traffic as if it originated from the VPN server. Now if a packet is intercepted by a malicious entity, they won't have your IP address, but the VPN's instead.With the 2017 ruling by FCC to effectively end Net Neutrality, privacy is more important than ever. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) once again have control over all data that runs through their networks and can do whatever they see fit.As history has shown, ISPs will regulate traffic based on the kind of websites you visit or the services you use. With a VPN, your ISP doesn't see what sites you visit — all it sees is an encrypted connection between you and your VPN. Therefore, your ISP can't downgrade your Netflix movie quality or block your device from a specific service. It also can't effectively record your browsing history to sell to corporations. Unless your ISP blocks VPN traffic (which is possible), using a VPN is one of the only ways to surf the web privately and freely.There are many excellent VPN services on the Play Store, but my personal favorite is NordVPN, as it provides a great balance of security and speed. NordVPN uses the highest encryption method to protect your data and has over 2,400 servers in 56 countries, allowing it to maintain fast speeds while doing so.Play Store Link: NordVPN (free) Its Android app is very simple and straightforward. Once you open the app, create an account, and log in, just select "Quick connect" from the main page. After confirming your choice on a system dialog, NordVPN will connect you to the nearest server with the lowest traffic, ensuring minimal loss of internet speed while using VPN protection.NordVPN also has a feature known as CyberSec, which provides additional protection by actively monitoring the websites you visit to protect against malware, ads, and botnet (attacks which use your smartphone to attack other devices).Don't Miss: The Best VPN Apps for Android & iPhone
Step 2: Start Using a Password ManagerWith so many different accounts, it's hard to come up with a unique and creative password for each one. Unfortunately, weak passwords are one of the leading ways hackers access personal information. Whether your password is found through a brute-force attack or something like one of Yahoo's data breaches, if you used the password on other sites, those accounts are now compromised, too.So the best practice is to use a different password for every account, and to make sure those passwords are all random alphanumeric combinations that use special characters. However, obscure passwords like these are hard to memorize once, let alone for every internet account you have. Password managers solve this problem. A good password should look something like this. With a password manager, you only need to memorize one password to access a database of all your other passwords. Whenever you create a new account, you use the password manager to generate a password, selecting from a range of criteria to both fit the requirements of the site and make the most secure password possible. Now, whenever you enter that website or app, you can fill in your password by copying it from the database.LastPass is one of the best password managers found on the Play Store. It is one of the only password managers that allows you to autofill your information. Not only is autofill convenient, but it also provides security from hackers. If a hacker gains access to your device, they may employ key logging, which records each key you press on your screen — but with autofill, there are no keys to log.Play Store Link: LastPass Password Manager (free) LastPass also stores the password database on your device, preventing the possibility of someone intercepting it if it was stored remotely. It also employs the highest encryption protocols to protect your database, and allows the use of both two-factor authentication (using both a password and temporary PIN code via text or e-mail) and fingerprint authentication to protect your database better.Don't Miss: The Best Password Managers for Android
Step 3: Install a Secure BrowserChrome is an excellent browser for its ease of use and fast performance, but if you want to protect yourself from external threats, we recommend switching your default browser. Using a secure browser is important, because by default, most browsers try to balance security and speed with a heavy emphasis on speed. Browsers also accommodate corporations who wish to sell you advertisements. However, these accommodations can be used to harm you as well.Cookies are small text files sent by web servers to help identify you and personalize your experience on a web page. For example, the way Amazon and eBay can recommend products is by use of cookies. However, these cookies can be altered to allow unauthorized access to your smartphone.Websites employ trackers which monitor sites every time you view a page. These trackers report information to a server so companies have a better understanding of their customers. They are used to enhance the experience and personalize your view (cookies are sometimes used as a tracker). However, they also can be used for malicious purposes.Although you can manually disable cookies and trackers in Chrome, there's a browser that does this by default. For that reason, we recommend Firefox Focus.Play Store Link: Firefox Focus (free) With Firefox Focus, Mozilla has created a browser that focuses on security and speed, but emphasizes security. Almost all trackers are blocked by default, with only ones that can disrupt the viewing of the web page allowed. Sites are also prevented from opening a malicious website in another tab without you knowing.With all this blocking, it is one of the fastest browsers on the Play Store, since when it loads pages, it doesn't have to load ads (which typically take some time). And whenever you close Firefox Focus, it deletes all cookies and your browsing history. So if you decide to look at more, um, Christmas gift ideas, you don't have to worry about someone seeing your activities.When using Firefox Focus, we also recommend switching the default search engine. With Firefox Focus open, tap the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner and choose "Settings." From there, scroll down to the Search section and select the first option, then switch it to DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo is the only search engine on the list that doesn't collect your search result information.
Step 4: Take Care of the Little ThingsBeyond the apps we just discussed, we have a few more recommendations to improve internet security. The first is to use HTTPS as often as possible. Most popular websites all will redirect you to the HTTPS version of their website, but if you happen upon a site without it, don't enter Personally Identifiable Information.HTTPS provides encrypted communication between your smartphone and the website's server. Although the encryption isn't the highest level to ensure speed isn't significantly reduced, it does provide some protection where HTTP offers none. A VPN addresses this by providing encryption that does employ the best standards currently available. However, using HTTPS is still good practice. Note the "https" at the beginning of the URL. Our second recommendation is to avoid using public Wi-Fi, as these are unsecured networks that are susceptible to cyber attacks. It can easily be used by a malicious agent to learn your IP address and attack your device.Public, unsecured networks can also be spoofed, which is when a hacker will create a fake Wi-Fi hotspot that shares the same SSID as the public Wi-Fi. Therefore, when you connect to the network, you believe you are using the public Wi-Fi, but actually are connected to a hacker's machine sending all your data to them. Like the first recommendation, VPN provides protection, but it's a good practice to follow. Unsecured Wi-Fi networks won't have the lock icon next to them. Finally, always be careful about the sites you visit. Try to stick to popular websites instead of obscure ones. Avoid links to websites from individuals you don't know, and make sure you type website names correctly. A known tactic by hackers (called "phishing") is registering a website name for common spelling errors associated with a popular website (e.g., "goggle.com").If you stumble on a phishing attempt, instead of going to the site you want, you're directed to the hacker's site, which can be designed to look exactly like the popular one. You think you're on the popular website, so when you log in, you're sending your user name and password to the hacker.These recommendations will not completely prevent you from a cyber attack, but they'll certainly go a long way. In the end, the goal is to safely browse the web while keeping your information and history private. So whether you are scared of hackers or you don't want your significant other to see your browsing history, these recommendations should provide a great start.This article was produced during Gadget Hacks' special coverage on smartphone privacy and security. Check out the whole Privacy and Security series.Don't Miss: 13 Ways to Keep Your Android Device SecureFollow Gadget Hacks on Pinterest, Reddit, Twitter, YouTube, and Flipboard Sign up for Gadget Hacks' daily newsletter or weekly Android and iOS updates Follow WonderHowTo on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Flipboard
Cover image via Manuel/Pexels, screenshots by Jon Knight/Gadget Hacks
Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S8, S8 Plus, and Note 8 gets Android 9.0 Pie in the United States based on One UI. See how to download and update Samsung devices via Odin full stock firmware.
New Galaxy Note 9 update brings camera improvements and more
Will Apple's $29 Battery Replacement Actually Speed Up Your
How to quickly reply to a message from notification center on your iPhone or iPad. When you receive a message notification on your iPhone or iPad, touch and pull down on it. Type in your message. Tap the send button (looks like an arrow).
3 Reasons That No One Replies to Your Messages Anymore
News: BlackBerry Unveils the KeyOne—A New Security-Focused Phone with a Physical Keyboard News: The Latest Razer Phone 2 Leaks Suggest Project Linda Might Actually Happen Cheap Mods: Turn Your Phone into a Boombox with a Few Household Items
How to Record Your Screen on Pc 2018 « How to Videos
Check out the video below (credits go to YouTube user videosdebarraquito) to see this new exploit in action, which reportedly affects iOS 8.4 to 9.0.1. It doesn't allow complete access to your iDevice but it does let others view your photos and contacts without a passcode, and these two areas of your phone may very well hold quite a bit of
Major iPhone security flaw exposes your photos and contacts
Recently, iPhone users have been bragging that they can set Live Photos as their lock screen wallpaper. While this is a great way to spice up a boring lock screen, Android users shouldn't feel left out in the cold. The highly customizable and feature-rich OS has a few tricks up its sleeve too, and
How to Get Custom Lock Screen Widgets on Your Samsung Galaxy
Apple Pay is now widely available around the globe, letting you pay from the wrist using just your Apple Watch. The better news? It's mega easy to set up and use. It's one of the key benefits of
How to use Apple Pay on the Apple Watch | Macworld
If you're interested in XLR-based microphones like the AT875R, but you're using a DSLR or a mirrorless camera that doesn't feature XLR inputs or phantom power, you're not out of luck. You can adapt any of the professional shotguns covered in this article to your mini-plug-based camera by using a product called a "Camcorder XLR Adapter
Xlr For Camcorder Sold Direct on eBay | Fantastic Prices on Xlr For Camcorder
AD
In late-2017, Snapchat debuted Lens Studio, a way for anyone to create their own augmented reality "world lenses" that can be shared to anyone with a Snapchat account.If you don't mind spending money, you can even create custom face lenses and basic overlay filters for special events.
Create Your Own Filters & Lenses • Snapchat
If you have a business, and your goal is to grow your following, increase sales and improve brand awareness, then a private Instagram account isn't for you. If you have a brand with a huge Instagram following, and you don't need to increase your followers any more, than a Private Instagram account might be perfect for your brand.
How To Switch Wallpapers Automatically And Randomly On
The SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick is a flash drive designed to work seamlessly with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac. Buy online now at apple.com.
To access your notifications panel, swipe down from the top of your Samsung Galaxy S5's screen with one finger. Using two fingers will access the Quick Settings bar on your Galaxy S5, where you can quickly turn on and off various features. Using just one finger, on the other hand, will open up your notifications panel.
Remove S Finder & Quick Connect - Samsung Galaxy S6
Are you tired of all of those applications bombarding you on Facebook?Spamming you all the time, never stopping? Are they just annoying? Well, this video tutorial will show you how to remove unwanted, spammy, or otherwise annoying apps on Facebook.
3 Ways to Remove Unwanted Apps that Won't Delete on Mac
News: A Return to Glory? HTC Releases the U12+ with 4 Cameras, Edge-to-Edge Display & Edge Sense 2 News: Everything You Need to Know About the New Galaxy S9 & S9+ News: Pixel 2 May Resemble Samsung's S8 More Than the Original Pixel News: HTC U Spec Leak Shows Off Internals
HTC United States - htc.com
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar