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How To Secure Your Android And Apple Smartphones?
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If your phone contains some important business information that you do not want someone to peek into, here is what you need to know.
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Friday, February 03, 2012:
Smartphones contain large amount of easy to loose personally identifiable information. Android and iOS have different ways of going about device security, with iOS being more straightforward and Android takes a bit of more Do It Yourself approach. PIN and pattern locks are well-known security practices and both allow you to go further. If your phone contains some important business information that you do not want someone to peek into, here is what you need to know...
Device access
The most important thing that you need to do is to set up a screen lock. Most of the device makers have these options designed for your phone. Go to your device's security options and you will find various options for locking the device. The pattern lock will show a 3×3 grid of dots, which must be used to create a pattern to unlock the device. This is a good but not safe. Everything is open for business when your device is unlocked and the marks of your finger can leave tell-tail smudges that make your unlock pattern easier to guess.
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PIN and password locking is more safe, however more of a hassle when you need to wake up your device. Android 4.0 has face unlocking options, but probably the easiest way to unlock the phone and unfortunately your phone is still least secured. Enabling Face Unlock will require you to look at the device so it can learn your face. After that, it has you set up a backup passcode in case the device cannot recognise you. The security menu also offers you the option to train Face Unlock to recognise you in different lighting situations. All it takes to circumvent this locking method is a picture of you, though.
Simple Passcode is the most common locking option for Apple iOS, though it does not have many. It is a 4-digit code that must be typed in for unlocking the device. Now for those who are really worried about the integrity of the data, a toggle on the screen to limit passcode tries is available. Turn on Erase Data, and 10 incorrect guesses will reset the device. No doubt that your data will be lost, but no one else can get it either.
Apple lets you go one step further in the Passcode Lock menu. If you want something a little more robust, just disable Simple Passcode. This will allow you to pick a password using numbers, letters and special characters. It will be harder to enter, but it’s far more secure.
Application store access
In addition to apps, there is lots of music, movies and books available in the Android Market these days. And with your credit card attached to Google Wallet, you do not want to leave that treasure wide open.
Now in order to make that safe, got to your Market app and open the settings menu. There you will find a section called User Controls. Here the “Set or Change PIN” option will let you set a 4-digit PIN, and by toggling one of the options in that same menu, you can require that PIN for all purchases. But in order to do that, you have to have the newest version of Android Market installed on your phone. But make sure you do not loose or forget the pin as there is no option to retrieve it.
Apple here has an upper hand from the start. It requires the users to enter their Apple ID for accessing the purchase option. Users don’t have to worry about a scandalous individual getting access to the phone and buying apps. On the flip side, you have to type that password in fairly often.
Tahir Zubair, EFYTIMES News Network
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