Five solutions to secure your smartphone.

Protect your mobile from the risks of spying and hacking by adopting effective precautionary measures

While the Snowden case has highlighted the risks of spying on our communications, smartphone users have long known that their devices are not immune to other threats. Hacking and data theft, viruses and ransomware, cyberattacks and intrusions of all hairs make more than ever necessary solutions to protect its communications and privacy. follow the guide.

1. Adopt basic reflexes

Why: To prevent hackers and spies from exploiting the security vulnerabilities of your mobile and its applications, giving them access to your data.
How to Perform regular updates to your phone’s system software and applications. Only install apps from Google Play or the App Store and avoid downloading questionable apps (check reviews and forums on the Internet). Do not click on attachments of suspicious messages and beware of public Wi-Fi hotspots, which are rarely secure. Remember to save your data regularly, mainly contacts and photos, by synchronizing your mobile with a computer. Finally, adopt an effective locking system: complex code or password (preferably six-digit or alphanumeric), a pattern known only to you, fingerprint or iris recognition.

2. Install a protection tool

Why? To escape viruses, spyware and other harmful applications.

By adopting an application that will detect malicious programs, monitor Internet browsing and save sensitive data. Try CM Security and Avast! Mobile Security & Antivirus (for Android), able to lock applications, or Lookout Antivirus & Security (for Android and iOS) that also has anti-theft features.

3. Encrypt the data

Why: To prevent curious people from accessing all your files, including on-line storage services.

How? On iPhone, data encryption is enabled by default and only the password or fingerprint allows access. On some Android models, you have to go through the mobile settings to encrypt the data. Open the “Security” section in the phone settings and activate the option labeled “Encrypt Phone” or “Device Encryption”. Attention, the operation lasts at least an hour and requires to leave the mobile connected to its charger. Finally, to protect your data stored on the Cloud, download Boxcryptor (for iOS and Android) that encodes them before transmitting on Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or Box.

4. Encrypt communications

Why? To prevent listening to phone calls and interception of messages

On iPhone, messages exchanged with another Apple device and conversations with FaceTime are automatically encrypted. Only the sender and the recipient can read it. On Android, there are apps that perform the same functions, like SMSsecure, Wickr Me or Surespot Encrypted Messenger. The alternative: use secure messaging like Telegram or Cyphr (app for Android and iOS). To encrypt phone calls, adopt Kryptos or Signal (for Android and iOS), which work with cellular networks and Wi-Fi.

5. Invest in a secure smartphone

Why: To be able to phone away from prying ears, communicate freely and make sure that no malicious apps will appear on the mobile.

How? Several manufacturers offer secure mobiles. The latest Blackberry models offer particularly effective protection functions but limited. Others, such as Thales’s Teorem and Bull’s Hoox m2, are reserved for a specific clientele (politicians, soldiers, CEOs of “sensitive” companies, etc.). More accessible: the Blackphone, which version 2 is sold 650 euros, the different models of the German CryptoPhone (between 1500 and 5000 euros), or the new Katim Darkmatter, an Abu Dhabi company, which all hardware and software solutions to encrypt voice calls and text messages and protect the device against any risk of spying.