With all the scams going on today, you might have found yourself searching for keywords like “clearing cache for Android”, or to save time, “clear cache all at once”.
Whether it’s an iPhone or Android device, our little black screen contains really sensitive data. Think about the images in your photo gallery, the apps in your phone – especially those banking apps, trading apps and even your Singpass app – and even the content in your notes and WhatsApp messages.
How can we enhance mobile device security? Is it time to master Google password manager, search for the best free password manager or resort to other security measures? Here are 7 things you can do to enhance mobile device security in 2022.
1. Always set a lock on your phone
Setting a lock on your phone is probably the most fundamental way to secure your device. Imagine you leave your device lying around. Someone who picks it up can access all of your images, videos, messages, apps and what-have-yous? It’s probably fine if it’s your family member, unless there are things you don’t want them to see. Oops.
Strangers who get hold of your phone may have ill intentions. Without a lock on your phone, it is so easy for them to reset factory settings to use the phone as their own, or even access your personal information to do who knows what with it. Yikes.
So yep, do enable screen auto-lock on your device (maybe after 30 seconds or so). It saves battery too!
2. Enable user authentication
While you’re configuring your phone or other device’s auto-lock function, do remember to enable user authentication. This actually goes hand-in-hand with our first point; once the device’s screen is locked you’ll need to set a pin or a password to access a phone.
This might also be something more complex, like a pattern to draw, your Face ID, setting up a fingerprint reader, or even a combination to make your device or phone even less susceptible to being unlocked and accessed should it fall into the wrong hands.
3. Use a password manager
Chrome browser users, you can use the Google Password Manager by clicking on your profile. Make sure you’re signed in to your Google account first, then select the key icon on the dropdown menu. Here you can see all the websites and passwords you may have previously saved and stored.
While this useful feature helps you autofill passwords to tonnes of websites, you may also want to audit the list from time to time to remove saved passwords.
Alternatively, you can go for one of those best free password manager apps that tons of others might be using. Be sure to read all of the reviews and the features before use — you never know if a malware is masquerading as a new-to-market password manager with too-good-to-be-true features.
In general, password managers help you store and remember passwords, which improves your online security. In turn, the password managers themselves are equipped with strong, industry-standard encryption, which becomes a defense against hackers and other cyber-baddies trying to access your “little black book” of passwords. Whatever it is, always use 2-factor authentication for best results!
4. Always run updates
Operating systems and other software often come up with updates that address bug fixes or plug certain backdoors or other security flaws. If there’s a new threat on the horizon, you can be sure that the developers are acting quickly to include new measures to stamp out such menaces from your device(s).
Thus, it’s always good to run updates on your device. And look, this is the year 2022. There’s no such thing as “my device has no more space to run the update”. Ask yourself where your 256GB of storage space went, and how about your microSD card? Must be all those cat pictures and memes on your phone…
5. Back up your phone
Backing up your phone is really common sense. Even if you’re real careful, you never know what might happen… Corrupted data causing a system crash, black screen of untimely death, you dropped your phone into the pool (too happy on your MBS staycay) or you’re just doing the usual phone changeroo everytime the new iPhone or Samsung model drops.
Things happen, yo. You don’t want to lose all those precious memories, happy travel photos or those oh-so-cute snapshots of your furbaby. Making a backup to a space microSD card or even to the Cloud is so easy nowadays…you can even let the backup run overnight while you catch your beauty sleep.
Oh…and if you’re one of those who set your phone/device to remotely reset and delete all data should it be lost or stolen, which is a good security measure too, backing up your phone/device is an absolute MUST.
6. Use Find My iPhone or a tracker for Android
If you lose your phone, a common way to find it is to call it. But what if it’s set to silent mode with vibrate turned off? Uh oh. Hence, using apps like Find My iPhone or a tracker for Android can be absolutely useful.
Nothing beats the feeling of hearing “Hello, I’m here” alert of the Find My iPhone feature and finding your precious device in the crevices of your sofa or under your bed.
Android phones can use an external tracker to help you locate your phone in times of need.
If it was stolen, you might even be quick enough to discover the whereabouts of the thief before they had time to disable your phone completely.
7. Clear cache periodically
Your devices have two types of memory: one stores all the files and data, the other is memory allocated to cached information.
The cached information retains information so that you can load and access websites quicker. This might just be a script or images, but could be larger files like videos.
Just like how humans might feel overwhelmed and work slower if there’s too much information they need to retain at one time in their head, the phone’s memory might also be overloaded, which in the long run, could cause apps and websites to load slower. This could also cause the battery to drain faster as more energy is expended for the device to run, and it could heat up significantly.
Thus, you might want to look into clearing the cache on your phone, be it an Android phone or an iPhone. There’s even a way on Android 11 to clear cache of all apps at once. You can even clear cache on your browser, especially if you’re using a shared device. You’ll thank us later.
Sign up for M1 Security Suite
There are plenty of viruses, spywares and other threats that are waiting to harm your smart devices.
To enhance mobile device security, simply pay a very small fee of $1.50 monthly subscription to sign up for M1 Mobile Device Security.
With the M1 Security Suite powered by Trend Micro, you can receive the latest cloud protection technology for you and your family’s devices. Protect all your Android devices against loss, data theft, virus and other cyber threats for a very small fee.
By the way, don’t miss awesome ongoing deals on M1 SIM-only plans. You can get an amazing 100GB for $19.95 per month, or 80GB for $17.95 per month for a limited period of 12 months! At the same time, get freebies such as Vitamin C and access to True 5G network. The plans return to 50GB after that.
For a limited time and exclusive to mpowered readers, enjoy $15 off your first month when you sign up today with the code mpowered15! Sign up with M1 today for further exclusive time-limited promotions.
