With over 2.5 billion active users, android is the most used and popular OS in the world. Almost every smartphone company, except Apple, uses android as their primary OS. Although, while using this Operating System, one must stay aware of the risks, like hacking, that can cause severe damage to your personal as well as professional life. Additionally, we all use smartphones for various tasks, and therefore it is essential to block hackers from our android phones. But how to block hackers from my android phone?
Let’s find out!
Contents
How to Block Hackers from my Android Phone?
If you want to block hackers from your android smartphone, you should always;
- Download apps from the Google Play store
- Enable Google Play Protect
- Run regular antivirus scans.
- Stop using Public Wi-Fi.
- Start using a VPN.
- Password protects your phone.
- Use complex passwords.
- Avoid storing sensitive data on your phone.
- Update apps and OS regularly.
- Avoid Rooting your phone.
- Keep your phone with you.
- Turn off the auto-complete feature.
- Clear your browsing history.
- Enable find my device.
- Never visit untrusted websites.
- Enable 2 Factor Authentication.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links.
- Be cautious about sim swapping.
- Manage Bluetooth security.
- Turn off your hotspot, mobile data, or Wi-Fi when not in use.
Wanna know why I suggested this to-do list?
Read on to find the reason behind each solution.
Download apps from the Google Play store:
Yes, you heard it right! Always try to download android apps from the official Google Play store because the Google Play store consistently scans all the apps on their store and provides legitimate apps to you.
Thus, practice downloading the apps from the official Google Play Store and stay away from the untrusted “.apk” files.
Enable Google Play Protect:
Like Google Play Store, Google has come up with an additional feature called Google Play Protect, which automatically scans your device for any malicious apps. Consider it more like an antivirus system for apps.
Therefore, enable this awesome feature which will surely help you to block the hackers on your android phone.
Run regular antivirus scans:
Like computers, phones are also supported by big antivirus players nowadays. So, keeping antivirus software inside your android system would be a safe bet, as it will automatically block any incoming threat released by a hacker and also kick out any.
Additionally, some of the good antivirus software like TotalAV, Norton, and Avast have a free version or trial.
So, what are you waiting for, install your favorite antivirus software and stay protected.
Stop using Public Wi-Fi:
This is the most common mistake everyone makes. I agree with the fact that it is very tempting to use Public Wi-Fi when on the go, but did you know that most of the hacking activities are carried out through Public Wi-Fi?
Well, it is true. Public Wi-Fi is a demanding hotspot for hackers, through which they can easily get into anyone’s system, even mine.
Therefore, it is better to use your mobile data when you are on the go.
Start using a VPN:
So this is connected to the previous point, and as discussed above, public Wi-Fi is doomsday for regular android users. But what if you want to send an urgent mail to your boss, and you don’t have a choice but to use Public Wi-Fi?
Well, in this case, you can always turn on your premium VPN services, which will protect your data and traffic from the prying eyes of hackers by encrypting it and then sending it over the internet.
Thus, I suggest you buy your desired VPN service to block hackers from your android phone.
Still confused about why a VPN service? Then I suggest you follow this article specifically curated for this query.
Password protect your phone:
Nowadays, every android phone has the feature to password protect the phone, and this feature alone has the power to protect your phone when you are not around.
With the help of this feature, you can always password, pin, or even fingerprint protect your android smartphone so that no one tries to breach into your phone and find out those shady secrets that you are hiding (pun intended😆).
Additionally, many phones are coming out with new security features like Facial Recognition, which is taking mobile security to another level.
Although I suggest you do not use the FR feature as it is not very reliable, and anyone can unlock your phone with the help of your photo. Therefore, I recommend using only fingerprint and password protection.
Use long and complex passwords:
So, you decided to use password protection to unlock your phone! Great choice. You have successfully taken a step forward, but have you fetched a long and strong complex password that has a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols?
No? Then I suggest you do it right now because it will help you to stay ahead of anyone who is trying to figure out your phone password, thus leaving them with no choice but to give up.
Avoid storing sensitive data on phone:
Are you storing your private data on your phone? Are you also storing your financial passwords on your phone?
If yes, please do yourself a favor and remove it ASAP because those are the common targets of a hacker, and you don’t want your personal or financial data to fall into their hands.
Update apps and OS regularly:
Many smartphone companies roll out OS updates as well as Security patch updates regularly. But why do they do that? Because updating your android phone regularly minimizes the chances of your phone getting bashed by a hacker. Plus, the security patch updates fill up the loopholes which can become the gateway for hackers to breach into your system.
Avoid Rooting your phone:
Guilty of doing it, and probably you are too. Yes, rooting your phone gives a sense of satisfaction and allows more control over your android phone.
But not to forget, this can also satisfy a hacker, as rooting the phone breaks the security chains of a phone, thus allowing easy access.
Therefore, never root your smartphone unless you know the risks included with it.
Keep your phone with you:
This is a basic one because when you leave your phone lying anywhere, it is vulnerable to spoofing. Anyone, including your near and dear one, can try to spoof into your system and get that data they always wanted.
Not only this, maybe a hacker can access your phone and install spyware into your android mobile, which can literally cause your privacy great damage.
Turn off the auto-complete feature:
The auto-complete feature is the most loved feature of today’s generation because it allows you to fill in the words even without typing the entire sentence. But everything comes with a price, and so is this feature.
Have you ever noticed the auto-complete suggestion coming up just beyond the keyboard whenever you are trying to type your username?
Well, this is the main reason I suggest you turn it off because you never know if a hacker can inject spyware or keylogger into your android phone and steal your data.
Clear your browsing history:
Clearing your browsing data will not only make sure that no other person can see what you have accessed but also gives a sense of assurance that your data will remain untapped.
Most browsers like Google Chrome have this feature in them that asks your permission to “Save password,” which we sometimes agree upon.
Although, what if your phone is hacked and all of your passwords are in Chrome? The answer is you could lose everything you got.
Therefore, you should always try to clear your Browsing History regularly so that you leave no digital footprints of your activity.
Enable Find my device:
This feature can save you if you have lost your mobile or it was stolen. “Find my device” works by locating your phone and even ringing it for you. Plus, if you feel like it has sensitive data, then you can easily erase it remotely to avoid any chaos.
Although, this feature only works if your phone is active on an internet connection.
Never visit untrusted websites:
Many experts suggest that we should not visit untrusted websites, and it has their reasons. An untrusted website can be a website built by a hacker to trick you into believing that it is a legitimate one.
So, if you ever travel through such websites, you can risk losing your data to hackers. Similarly, malware can be injected into your system through these kinds of websites, and thereby, I recommend you to just visit those sites which are SSL secured.
Enable 2-Factor Authentication:
2FA or say 2 Factor Authentication is an additional security feature that came into existence in the past few years, and to be really honest, this feature can save you from a lot of trouble even if someone is trying to bypass your apps.
By enabling two-factor authentication, you gain full control over the apps, social media sites, and a few other features, as a code is being sent to the owner’s mobile number whenever someone tries to login into a particular service. Thus, saving you from the data breach.
Moreover, apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook have also been promoting this feature to help people make their accounts more secure.
Avoid clicking on suspicious links:
Avoid the temptation of clicking those links which say, “You have won an iPhone,” because these links contain hazardous codes which can inject malicious software into your android mobile phone.
Moreover, be cautious about those spammy emails, too, as they may contain the same element which can hack your android system.
Be cautious about sim swapping:
This is the most practiced cyber-attack by hackers to gain access to the 2FA methods used to protect certain apps.
When a hacker adopts this method, he tries to collect all the information about the user through spyware and then convinces the network operator to deactivate their service from the previous sim card and fetch it into the new one.
Thus, a successful sim swap can allow a hacker to gain access to the 2FA codes sent by text message, leaving you wondering why is your sim card not working.
Therefore, try to be mindful about the email or text message for your 2FA.
Manage Bluetooth security:
Bluetooth as a feature is so powerful that it can help you connect to another Bluetooth-enabled phone and allow you to share data between them.
But, be mindful while using this feature as it can also be used by hackers to gain control over your Android device. Additionally, turn off this feature when not in use.
Turn off your mobile hotspot, mobile data, or Wi-Fi when not in use.
Similar to the above-mentioned solution, always practice keeping your mobile hotspot, data, or Wi-Fi off, as it can also be used as a loophole to enter into your Android system.
What are the signs if my Android Phone gets Hacked?
If you suspect that your android phone has been hacked, just examine for these sure tale signs;
- Your phone slows down drastically.
- Your phone’s battery starts draining rapidly.
- Your phone heats up dramatically.
- You can hear beep or echo sounds while on call.
- You find an unusual app on your phone that you don’t remember installing.
- Your data usage spikes up.
- Your phone lights ups automatically, even when not in use.
- Automatic restarts.
- You find your data on the dark web.
- Unusual email and text message activities.
- Unusual and drastic ad pop-ups.
- The phone takes longer to reboot.
- Weird website behavior.
What to do if my Mobile gets Hacked?
By any means, if your android phone gets hacked, then you should follow these three simple solutions:
- Run an antivirus scan.
- Try to find out the malicious software manually.
- Finally, if you are unable to block the hacker with these two solutions, then you might want to consider Factory Data Resetting your android phone.
Final Remarks on “how to block hackers from my android phone“
Android as a smartphone OS has proven its worth in these past few years by competing with the tech giant Apple and has gained popularity among many people around the world.
Although nothing is perfect in this world, and so is the android system, as it is vulnerable to hackers. Plus, with the growth in the technological field, hackers have become so advanced that we can’t predict their next move.
Therefore, it is essential to follow these simple yet effective measures to block hackers from your android phone.
