As smartphone uses has exponentially increased over the past year; the user’s trust has also been made. From using our various social media accounts to doing online banking and making purchases via our phone; we have started trusting our smartphone with so much of our confidential and personal data. This is why it comes as the essential thing to take potential measures that keep your iPhone or iPad secure. To this end, we present you with 7 easy steps to protect your iPhone from hackers. (Also see, How Can I Access Facebook On iPhone In China)
7 Easy Steps to Protect Your iPhone from Hackers
Let’s start this off with what most regular users are at least known to do.
Step 1: Encrypt Your iPhone
The most basic and essential measure to protect all your private and sensitive data is to encrypt your iPhone. Do it either by using a Fingerprint or a passcode. To do this head over to Settings, Touch ID, Passcode, and set up the passcode or fingerprint scanner ID.
Here are a few extra tips for better safety:
- Put your phone to automatically lock status when it’s idle for like 30 seconds above.
- Set a strong passcode, preferably opt for Custom Alphanumeric Code or Custom Numeric Code. Do not go for just 4-Digit Numeric Code.
- Enable Erase Data on your iPhone; that erases all your data automatically after ten failed attempts to your passcode.
- Prefer using iTunes to backup your iPhone data than iCloud; because iTunes encrypt it as well.
- Use Touch ID for unlocking your iPhone only when dealing with Apple Pay, App Store, iTunes or other apps.
Step 2: Set Two-Factor Authentication
It’s necessary to have your Apple ID well guarded to prevent it from being readily circumvented by spammers and hackers. You can do that on the Apple.com site. Make sure you require a passcode for extra purchases done on your iOS and Mac devices as well.
Step 3: Turn On Find My iPhone
In case your device ever gets lifted, the Find My iPhone feature under Settings, iCloud can help you big time when attempting to retrieve it. From your Settings, allow Send the Last Location so that when the battery is low, it sends its last location to Apple.
STEP 4: Manage and Limit the Info Displaying on Locked Screen
iOS 10 provides such a massive array of information to get presented on your home screen. This can be critical if your phone falls into the wrong hands. The amount of data on the home screen can be regulated by going over to Settings, Touch ID & Passcode and incapacitating whichever app you don’t think has info that is worth displaying at a look.
Step 5: Prevent Third-Parties From Tracking You
Third-party apps may track you or your use by ads, and this might be critical if some of them have malicious purposes. To turn off this, go to Settings, then Privacy, then Advertising and turn on Limit Ad Tracking. Tap on Reset Advertising Identifier so that no ads can track you down.
Try to browse the web in incognito mode. You can do this by setting up Private at the page switch icon on your Safari browser. Have a look at the information used by Apple to push ads to you through View Ad Information.
Step 6: Limit Access To Data
As a security-resort of the last measure, you can configure your iPhone to delete records of messages after a certain period. To do this, go to Settings, Messages, then Keep Messages and set them up to expire after about 30 days. The same can apply for your Audio messages; deleting them two minutes after listening won’t do you any damage.
Step: 7 Use A VPN
Lastly, you can add an additional layer of security and privacy to your iPhone by using the VPN feature. By connecting to a VPN server, you are efficiently encrypting all of your internet traffic, making it nearly impossible for possible eavesdroppers to spy on your online activities. You can manually set up the VPN connection by going to Settings -> General -> VPN. Alternatively, you can download and install a VPN application from the App Store. This makes the whole VPN setup much more accessible. Keep in mind that you have to sign up with a VPN service provider first. (Also check, 5 Best iPhone VPN Apps – Use Your iPhone Securely and Anonymously)
Conclusion
Apple always keeps its customer’s security and privacy on first priority; whenever they’re building up a new version of its software for an update. iOS 10.3.1 proceeds to carry and demonstrate this well-respected legacy by apple, and with every release, the security features just keep getting better and better with time. If you’re an iPhone user who is still stuck on their earlier iOS version, you just finished reading a whole bunch of reasons why iOS 10.3.1 would do you so much better. Let’s know in the comments below how these tips to protect your iPhone from hackers helped you.
