It\u2019s vitally important to update your phone\u2019s software when prompted. These updates, although annoying, often contain security patches and bug fixes that prevent the latest threats from hackers and criminals.<\/p>\n
You will usually receive a prompt when a new update is available. However, you can also check if there\u2019s an available update by following these steps:<\/p>\n
Android: <\/strong>Settings > About Phone > Software Update<\/p>\n iPhone: <\/strong>Settings > General > Software Update<\/p>\n Make sure you plug your phone into a charger and connect to Wi-Fi before updating.<\/p>\n The lock screen is your first line of defence so it\u2019s important to set up a strong passcode. The best option is a strong password consisting of letters, numbers and special characters, although a 6-digit passcode or a pattern may be easier to remember.<\/p>\n Take these steps to set up a passcode:<\/p>\n iPhone: <\/strong>Settings > Touch ID & Passcode<\/p>\n Android: <\/strong>Settings > Personal > Security > Screen Lock<\/p>\n Like computers, phones are susceptible to viruses. Luckily, there are plenty of antivirus options on both app stores, including products from well-known brands like Norton, AVG and Lookout. Most of these apps are free, although you\u2019ll have to pay a little extra for full coverage.<\/p>\n Antivirus software isn\u2019t as essential on iPhones due to Apple\u2019s tighter control of iOS, but it doesn\u2019t hurt to have a bit of extra protection!<\/p>\n Thanks to strong vetting procedures, apps on Google Play are generally safe. Some dodgy apps occasionally slip through the net, but you can avoid these by checking the name of the developer and looking for the \u201d\u02dcverified\u2019 tick before downloading.<\/p>\n It\u2019s murkier outside of the app stores, though. Although there are some genuine apps available from other sources, there are a lot of dodgy apps hiding viruses too.<\/p>\n Most Android devices automatically prevent you from downloading anything from unknown sources, although you can take the following steps to double check you\u2019re protected:<\/p>\n Settings > Advanced Settings > Security > Unknown Sources<\/p>\n Apps handling your most personal data \u201d\u201c like banking apps \u201d\u201c will generally require you to sign in before using them (although it\u2019s a good idea to check). However, most apps will encourage you to remain signed in for convenience (and advertising) purposes.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, staying logged into an app like Facebook means that anyone who accesses your phone (including a thief) will be able to view pretty much everything about you, putting you at risk of identity theft.<\/p>\n With that in mind, it\u2019s best to log out when you\u2019ve finished using an app. It may seem inconvenient but it\u2019ll save you a lot of bother if the worst happens!<\/p>\n Public Wi-Fi is a godsend but it can be risky too; if you\u2019re on an insecure connection, thieves and hackers could potentially view your activity and steal your information.<\/p>\n Generally, the Wi-Fi you can access in a cafe, bar or shop will be safe. However, avoid using any app handling sensitive information (like a banking app) just to be sure.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an old piece of advice but a good one: if you receive a dodgy looking email, don\u2019t open it and definitely do not <\/em>download anything or click a link.<\/p>\n Remember, your bank or any other service you use will not request your details out of the blue. If you do receive an email requesting your details and you aren\u2019t sure, call your bank or provider to double check before clicking anything.<\/p>\n Apps require a certain amount of information to work. However, a few of them take liberties and request more than they really need.<\/p>\n The App Store and Google Play will offer a full list of the permissions an app requests before you download it to help you make an informed decision. You can also check what data your current apps can access by taking the following steps:<\/p>\n Android: <\/strong>Settings > Apps\/Application Manager > Your chosen app > Permissions<\/p>\n iPhone: <\/strong>Settings > Privacy > Your chosen permissions<\/p>\n From this screen, you\u2019ll be able to toggle permissions for each app. Be aware that some apps require certain permissions to work properly though (i.e. Instagram needs access to your camera).<\/p>\n Looking for a great phone at a great price? Buy a refurbished iPhone<\/a> from the musicMagpie Store! We have a huge range to choose from, all at an amazing price with FREE delivery and a 12 month warranty. Why wouldn\u2019t you?<\/p>\n Your phone contains more information about you than you think. Facebook may have pictures of you, while your banking app holds sensitive financial information that thieves would love to get their hands on. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to make your phone as secure as possible. Here are a few …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":8471,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1909],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8470"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8470"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8470\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11391,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8470\/revisions\/11391"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicmagpie.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nSet a lock screen passcode<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nDownload antivirus software<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nDon\u2019t download apps from untrusted sources (Android only)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nDon\u2019t use auto-login<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nBe careful with open Wi-Fi<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nIgnore spam emails and do not click links<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nCheck app permissions<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n![\"SHOP](\"http:\/\/192.168.3.178\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/SHOP-NOW.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nFeatured image credit:\u00a0Oliur Rahman<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"