Archives - Mobile Security


Bluetooth security best practice: Use hidden mode

Enjoying wireless connectivity is all about balancing convenience with security. Bluetooth devices, such as wireless headsets, speakers and microphones, make it easy to seamlessly take hands-free calls while driving or to move around freely while listening to your favorite music, among other use cases. Using these devices does represent a security trade-off, though. Open Bluetooth […]

Lost your phone? Find it on Google and sign it out

If your mobile phone is connected to your Google account and it becomes lost or stolen, you can remotely lock users out from accessing any of your personal data on Google from that device. From your main account page, open the Security tab. Then scroll down to “Your devices” and select “Find a lost device.” […]

Adjust your Android settings to reduce the possibility of overheating

Cellphone overheating is a real risk that can dramatically impact the functionality of your device. To avoid this issue, turn off your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections if you’re not actively using them. Then, turn down your brightness, and exit any minimized programs running in the background. For help with this last part, you may have […]

Avoid potentially harmful apps

Reduce the risk of downloading potentially harmful apps by limiting your download sources to official app stores, such as your device’s manufacturer or operating system app store. Do not download from unknown sources or install untrusted enterprise certificates. Additionally—because malicious apps have been known to slip through the security of even reputable app stores—always read […]

Remove a potentially malicious app from an Android device

Even for the most sophisticated of users, it’s not impossible to download a popular app and then learn about security vulnerabilities later. To remove problematic apps from an Android device, from the Settings menu, click on the tab labeled General. Then select “Apps & notifications.” Click “App info” and select the app you want to […]

Limit location permissions

Some apps have access to the mobile device’s location services and thus have access to the user’s approximate physical location. For apps that require access to location data to function, consider limiting this access to when the app is in use only.