Phone advice: To protect you against cybercrimes
Use strong passcodes, Be smart about apps, and more
Use strong passcodes. If you’re one of the many smartphone users who’ve taken no steps to protect data on their phones, it’s time to stop putting yourself at risk of identify theft or other crimes. Start by creating a password that contains a combination of at least six letters, numbers, and symbols. Thieves can crack a four-character passcode in about 20 minutes.
Never shop on unsecured Wi-Fi. “Public Wi-Fi is fine for surfing,” but shopping on an open connection leaves your transactions vulnerable to interception. Turn off your phone’s Wi-Fi and use its 3G or 4G connection instead. For extra protection, try a Virtual Private Network like Astrill ($70 a year), which will encrypt all data you send.
Be smart about apps. Download apps only from credible sources, like Apple’s App Store, Google Play, or Amazon’s App Store.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Source: ShopSmart
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
American Airlines pilots are warning of a 'significant spike' in safety issues
In the Spotlight The pilot's union listed 'problematic trends' they say are affecting the airline's fleet
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
6 star-spangled presidential libraries to visit
The Week Recommends These institutions provide insight into American leaders
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published