Smartphone Safety: 8 Tips to Protect Your Personal Information

In today's age of technology, most business is now conducted through your mobile computer--your smartphone. This also means you are vulnerable to digital theft if you do not have the right precautions in place. Here are eight tips to make sure your personal and financial information is locked down:

1. The first thing you do when you get a new phone is set up your lock screen. This is not a step you want to bypass! This simple measure of security protects you from others who may have access to your phone.

2. Enable fingerprint or facial recognition – Almost all smartphones now have this new technology to ensure only you have access to your phone's data.

3. Update software – Old, outdated software is vulnerable to hackers and cyber scammers. New updates fix bugs and any potential security issues in prior versions.

4. Back up your information – There are several reasons to back up your phone: theft, viruses, or your phone is damaged. Having a back up means you still have access to valuable information, and it can be transferred to another phone.

5. Beware of public Wi-Fi – Most Wi-Fi hotspots are not encrypted. So anyone at the local coffee shop you are sharing Wi-Fi with can "eavesdrop" on the data you send and receive from your phone.

6. Bluetooth – Hackers use specialized software to detect nearby devices who use Bluetooth technology. They find out your trusted networks and replicate them to trick your device into connecting to take control of your device. This technique is used to steal data, bombard your phone with malware and spyware, and read your apps and text messages.

7. Do not share personal passwords and logins – This is just a best practice. Sharing passwords and logins can lead to your personal information getting into the wrong hands.

8. Enable personal safety features – Almost all smartphones have a setting where you can input your personal safety. iPhone has Emergency SOS Mode, Medical ID & Emergency Contacts, and be sure to turn on FindMyiPhone. Android users should enable their Emergency Sharing and Safety Check, Lockdown Mode, and make sure to activate Find My Device.

Users of SentriLock can also rely on safety features within the SentriKey Real Estate App. To access this feature, log in to your app and select My Settings, then select Agent Safety. When you open a lockbox, the Agent Safety feature will automatically notify your emergency contact when you do not or cannot confirm your safety. It will check in regularly to ensure you are safe on the job.

Safety starts with you, so make sure to practice smartphone security and enable safety features in your phone to make sure you are safe.

To view the original article, visit the SentriLock blog.