Avoid These Android Security Mistakes To Stay Mobile Safe

With Android smartphone and tablet use, getting the security aspects sorted out is key. You never know when your phone or tablet may be stolen and security compromised, so protecting yourself out of the gate is important to do.

Locking The Device As A Habit

Depending on which Android phone or tablet you have, it may be possible to initiate a fingerprint scan for unlocking the device. This is possible with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and new phones and tablets are now coming out with this feature as standard. It is likely mid-range Droid phones will soon also offer fingerprint and retina scans soon to add better protection at lower price points.

In place of a fingerprint lock, it's possible to set a code, password, pattern or other unlock choice for your device. In this way, when turning the device off it will lock automatically. Also, when the device turns itself off after a period of inactivity, it will lock up automatically.

This can be accomplished from the Settings menu, tapping More, and then Security section. It's then possible to choose the form that security will take and encrypt your device's data at the same time.

Getting in the habit of locking your own phone is important to do.

Not Updating Apps Often Enough

Not keeping up to date with the Google Play Store can mean leaving apps on a Droid with known security vulnerabilities. It is a good idea to regularly check for updates and install them over a wi-fi connection at least once a week as a computer maintenance process if you don't have time the rest of the week.

To update your device, open the Google Play Store app. Tap the Play Store icon and the My Apps label. This will then display the installed apps, with any needing an update being shown at the top of the list with an “Update” label above them.

Keeping Private or Work-Related Information on a Personal Device

For firms that are cutting back on their IT budgets and asking employees to start using their own devices for work use this can affect them the most.

Not every user of a smartphone or tablet is well versed in security and protective measures that should be taken. The amount of information revealed to installed apps may exceed what a company is comfortable with. Also, cloud-based storage could be uploading far more sensitive business data than known.

Helping employees with data security issues is the best idea here.

Bonus: If you're running the latest Android, you should learn how to set up parental controls in Android Lollipop.

Using Public or Open Wi-Fi Connections

When using a public or open (unencrypted) Wi-Fi connection, other users may be able to access your device and launch a malware attack. Alternatively, the operator of the Wi-Fi service (a cafe owner, perhaps) could run a “man in the middle” attack which would attempt to gather usernames, passwords and other sensitive information before your activities are routed across the internet.

Using secure, private Wi-Fi internet connections is the only direct way to avoid these types of security risks. A good firewall is also useful but many of the best ones require the Android phone to be rooted first (such as the case with the Avast Firewall feature in their security app). With that said, the Android OS already has many security features built into it to help keep users safe.

Opening or Installing Dodgy Content or Apps

With many SMS messages intended to infect Android phones, malware targeting Droid devices more than any other platform and a small percentage of apps in the Play Store available with malware intact, staying safe is becoming tough to achieve.

Installing a good anti-virus package like Avast Mobile Security and Anti-Virus or Avira Anti-Virus Security should be a good first defense. Beyond this, avoid opening emails and SMS messages from people you do not know (especially attachments), and wherever possible only install apps from respected software developers.

The Human Factor

The most common problem with mobile device security (and also desktop security) is the human factor. If passwords are too complicated or changed too frequently, employees have been known to write them down on a slip of paper and stick that in their desk drawer thus making security a moot point.

Use a password manager that can store locally or in the cloud to avoid needing to write passwords down. See our recent comparison between LastPass and Dashlane both with apps in the Play Store.

Security needs to be simple enough that users can be bothered to use it or non-intrusive enough that it runs on automatic most of the time with little to no interaction needed.