Android devices , iOS devices and basic phones are the 3 categories into which smartphones are currently divided according to José Simões. This software developer has published on his website a security and privacy guide for mobile phones that is of great help to keep your smartphone safe from threats. No matter which of the initial 3 categories your device belongs to, these 10 tips from the expert will be useful to you just the same.
Specifically, the aim of the guide prepared by José Simões is to help you improve the security and privacy of your mobile phone without affecting its functionality . Before applying the advice, the expert recommends detecting what type of threat you may be facing . For example, if it is only the interest of large technology companies in your data or if it is the government of your country that is interested in you. Once you know the threats, you will know what advice to apply to protect yourself.
Expert advice to protect your mobile from threats
Simões says that having a 100% private and secure mobile phone is impossible , but that these 10 tips that he shares on his website can help you get closer to that perfect percentage. The first 7 recommendations on the list are focused on protection against weaker threats, while the last 3 are included within the security measures against the most serious threats . Let’s see what they are and what each of them consists of.
Delete apps you don’t use and their respective accounts
If the threat your smartphone faces is low risk and you are not willing to make significant changes to your phone, the first recommendation José Simões offers is to uninstall those applications that you do not use often . It often happens that we download apps that we use only once and that we do not open again in the future, forgetting that they are still downloaded on the terminal.
These applications can be a source of problems , so the expert recommends that you remove them from the system if you know that you are not going to use them. In addition, he also advises you to delete the user accounts associated with these applications.
Use open source apps whenever possible
Another recommendation to keep your mobile safe from threats is to use only open source apps . To do this, you can count on the help of F-Droid , one of the best alternatives to Google Play Store . It is a store in which all the applications are open source. Therefore, there you will find the best options to comply with this expert recommendation.
If you are not familiar with this type of application, at Andro4all we will tell you about the open source applications for Android that we use the most in 2023. Among them are some like Moshidon, Galería Simple Pro, Quillnote and DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser , the latter being especially important for one of the following tips.
Use high security passwords
In the case of low-severity threats, it is also recommended to always use complex passwords that are very difficult to guess . If you are not particularly good at creating this type of code, you can resort to the help of the best websites for generating secure passwords .
Typically, these are very long codes that alternate numbers, letters and punctuation marks , which makes it especially difficult to remember them. For this purpose, there are also password managers for Android , among which José Simões recommends installing KeePassDX or Nextcloud Passwords. In addition, the expert explains that you should use managers that encrypt passwords and that are also open source.
Avoid Google and Apple services
If you have an Android phone, you’ll be using Google services like Gmail, Google Photos, Google Maps , or Files. If you have an iOS phone, you’ll typically be using tools like Apple Maps, Apple Mail, or Safari. However, one of the tips in the guide is to give up on Google and Apple services and instead prioritize local solutions that don’t put your personal data at such risk.
Use Matrix or Signal for messaging
In messaging apps we share large amounts of information related to our private life . After all, in chats we talk about ourselves, so our full name, address and even details related to our bank account can appear in them. For this reason, the Portuguese expert recommends using Matrix or Signal to communicate with our mobile phone.
Both are open source messaging apps that offer a great deal of privacy when chatting with other contacts. Therefore, they are more private and secure than popular tools like WhatsApp or Telegram .
Find browsers that are safer than Google Chrome
Just as WhatsApp or Telegram are not the most secure messaging apps, Google Chrome is not the private browser par excellence either . For this reason, José Simões advises relying on Brave or Firefox as alternatives if we want to browse in complete safety. In addition, we would like to mention a browser that we have mentioned before, DuckDuckGo, which will also help you browse without your personal information being affected.
Don’t share private information on social media
Among José Simões’ advice, there is one very simple one: do not publish private data on your social networks . This is essential so that other users, as well as large technology companies, do not know compromising information about you or information that they can take advantage of later.
Switch to a Google Pixel if possible
The last 3 tips provided by the cybersecurity expert are especially focused on countering very dangerous threats , and also on protecting your mobile if you are particularly interested in your privacy and security. The first of them is to switch to a Google Pixel mobile , if you don’t have one already.
The reason? Google smartphones are easy to modify , so you won’t have much trouble making the changes you need for protection. For example, you can easily install more secure custom ROMs on a Pixel.
Install GrapheneOS or CalyxOS
Among José Simões’ top recommendations is also the installation of GrapheneOS or CalyxOS. These are two open source alternatives to Android that take into account the privacy and security of users. According to the expert, GrapheneOS is more secure, while the advantage of CalyxOS is that it is easier to install on your mobile phone.
LineageOS can also be useful
If you can’t change your phone , the advice is to install LineageOS , one of the best ROMs available for Android smartphones. If your phone is compatible, you will be better protected. However, Simões stresses that the best option is to switch to a Pixel and install the operating systems mentioned in the previous recommendation.