Security Tips To Keep Your Phone Safe

In today’s digital age, our phones aren’t just a pricey piece of kit. They also contain access to our emails, photos, bank cards, accounts and potentially our deepest secrets. That means it’s important to consider them a digital version of a wallet and a diary – and we wouldn’t leave our wallets or diaries lying around there for everyone to see or steal. Undoubtedly, we already take good steps to safeguard our phone and its contents. But to make sure your device and data are as secure as they can be, here are some essential security tips.

Keep your phone safe

One of the best things you can do to make sure your phone and its contents remain in the right hands, is to make sure you hang onto it tight. While we take good care of our phone anyway – if only because it’s a pain to lose locally-stored stuff and start again with a new phone – it’s important to stay conscious to the full extent of the damage someone can do if they get hold of your phone. That’s especially the case if you have it set up to make payments.

So if you need to leave it in your back pocket, think about attaching it to a keychain to stop pickpockets from nabbing it. Or for the inevitable times when we misplace our phones, ensure ‘Find my phone’ is activated, so you can retrieve it as soon as possible.

Set up biometrics on your phone

Yes, it’s like a sci-fi novel that our fingerprints or face can now unlock our phone. That’s certainly why some people are hesitant, as well as the nervousness that it could unlock for people who look like you. But whatever the hesitancy, biometrics are significantly safer than other forms of security. It takes a high level of knowledge and resource for hackers to trick your phone’s biometric security layer. And the probability of a false match on Face ID is one in a million, while the probability of someone cracking a four-digit passcode is far higher: one in ten thousand. So if you can enable biometric security, be assured that experts consider it one of the best security measures available.

Use multi-factor authentication when possible

If the worst happens and someone’s been able to get into your phone, it doesn’t have to mean they can access all your stuff. Apps with sensitive information usually offer multi-factor authentication – where there are more security layers to go through – before serving up your information. It’s the digital equivalent of someone breaking into your home, but not being able to get to the high-value goods in your safe. So while it’s not as practical as accessing your contents straight away, it’s worth using another form of validation – like having an email sent to you, or another password to punch in.

Update your phone’s software

It’s generally good practice to keep your software up to date with the latest version anyway, but it’s particularly important for its security. When tech loopholes and break-ins are discovered, security patches are quickly put in place to prevent hackers from repeating their nefarious deeds. So while it seems like a loss of control, allowing your device to automatically install updates means you can get the benefit of maximum security with minimum fuss.

Use secure wifi networks

We all need to use public wifi – found in cafes, restaurants, trains and shops – every now and then. But if your phone warns you that it’s an unsecured network, it’s worth thinking again. As a weak, interceptable connection, there’s a risk of your phone’s operations being watched or seized by professional hackers. If you know you need to use them – for example, when you’re abroad, organise access to a Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in advance – so hackers won’t get very far if they intercept your phone. It might sound like it needs some advance tech skills, but it’s more straightforward than you think.

With Switched On’s Mobile Phone Insurance Premium and Ultimate cover levels you’ll be covered for unauthorised calls, messages and downloads made within the 24 hours after your phone is stolen*. There’s also 24/7 online claims and fast replacements. Take look at our mobile phone insurance page for more details.

*Please see our policy wording booklets for full details on what you would need to do for the cover to apply.