Android Mobile Phone Security

Hi,

Unlike the younger ones, we are not heavy users of our android mobile phone, but we have wondered what is the best way to stay secure when we do use it.

We were looking around for the best Free way for protection and you are often drawn to the usual names like Norton suites etc, though most do offer a free version they are usually very limited.

However after going into some security forums, found these links which tend to avoid such commercial security suites in favour of a more targeted approach.

This link is the its main page covering all aspects. ( written June 2022)
Android security: Analysis, advice, and next-level knowledge

This one to its Security sub section with some good looking advice.
The best privacy and security apps for Android

Be interested to know what protection you have found effective if not covered in those links.
Sure some will say a hammer ! , but we would not be without ours.

 

Android is generally pretty secure as it is, provide you keep it up to date (it will usually update itself automatically).

By default, you can't install any apps on it that don't come from Google play store, and apps on there have to go through an approval process.

The android operating system also restricts app permissions. You usually have to specifically grant an app access to certain features, and it is android itself that asks you, not the app, meaning apps can't secretly grant themselves access to things

All of this means as long as you don't go deliberately overriding default security settings, which is very hard to do by accident because they're hidden deep in the settings menus and come with their own warning prompts, then there's very little risk of your phone being hacked.

In the modern world of cyber security, the biggest risk by far is the human being using the system. Clicking on a dodgy link won't brick your phone, but it might draw you in to volunteering information you shouldn't share. A dodgy text message telling you you're in legal trouble and you should phone this premium rate number to sort it out won't hurt your phone but might scare you into confirming your phone number and running up a nasty bill.

If you set up payment methods on your phone, you should probably make sure your phone locks by default. And if you use banking apps on it you definitely don't want to tick any options to remember your login credentials. But android itself is pretty low risk.

 

Probably talking rubbish but my Samsung starts up with the message "secured by Knox", means nothing to me.
But I've never thought of paying for any kind of security.
Online security where you pay some company to put a programme on you PC , or phone just to pretend to be doing something has always seemed worthless to me, but highly profitable to them.

One day the online security racket will be exposed, I'm sure.

 

Thanks all for the replies, a lot of helpful info.

Well thats the point, our lack of knowledge really, not being aware of all the detail of Android, yet we are often told by the bank that their phone App is safer than using the PC online ?!
Yes we use the keypad lock, but its when using the browser, Firefox, that we wonder if we need AV like on the PC .

Yes, we only use the odd well known app from play store and only use the web for directions/ shopping sites when out. We seldom us the phone at home for browsing etc.

Often thought of VPN to make banking more secure, PC or Phone, but read a lot of comment that you might not be able to log on because the VPN hides your real location so the bank reject the connection or that VPN is not always as safe as they make out..?


@Clueless 1 v2 a lot of very good info there, and yes we do try to stay safe from the typical pitfalls of email scams etc.

We do allow system updates and not long since it updated to Android 11 but gather it will not receive A12, let alone the current 13 or the expected 14 later this year, though again no idea if they will make any key difference the general security. ?


@pete seems you have your own inbuilt extra protection -
Samsung Knox | Secured by Knox

 

I'm thinking of getting rid of the land line, I rarely use it for out going calls as my £9 a month mobile charge covers more than enough out going calls I am ever likely to make.
I get unlimited texts and enough data, and I use the wifi most of the time.

 

So are we too.✓

 

Last year we got rid of our original BT number, laterly transfered to Virgin.
The new fibre broadband comes with a router that provides a phone socket but we have never used it, just left unconnected, though its still there if needed.

As you say the mobile packages cover our needs, though think you could easily half your £9 monthly costs, eg Lebara £5 deal at half price £2.48 ! ( on vodafone network) https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only/

 

We have a landline, purely because it is her mum's old number and she wants to keep it. It is part of our BT broadband package. It rang the other day and she didn't know what button to press to answer it!