Phone Smart
Article
RP-910-0524 Tracking #586898 (Exp. 05/25)
Phone Smart
Four Tips To Keep Your Smart Phone Safe and Secure
Most people use smart phones to do a great many things daily. These things might include completing the daily Wordle, communicating with loved ones, checking sports scores or transferring money. Many people also use it to check their retirement account balance, book a flight, tell people that they’re running late or find their way around an unfamiliar city. And those are just a few examples of many.
Given its importance in your life, here are four smart ways to keep your phone safe and secure:
1. Add extra protection with your face, finger, pattern or personal identification number. Locking your phone with facial ID, a fingerprint, pattern or a pin is your most basic form of protection, particularly in the event of loss or theft (your options will vary depending on the device, operating system and manufacturer). For even more protection, secure the accounts on your phone with strong passwords and use two-factor authentication on the apps that offer it.
2. Consider using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN masks your connection from hackers, allowing you to connect privately when you are on unsecure public networks at airports, cafes, hotels and other public locations. With a VPN connection, you’ll know that your sensitive data, documents, and activities are protected from snooping, which is definitely a great feeling given the amount of personal and professional business many people manage with their smartphones.
3. Back up your data. Backing up your phone is always a good idea. First, it makes the process of transitioning to a new phone easy by transferring that backed-up data from your old phone to your new phone. Second, it ensures that your data stays with you if your phone is lost or stolen — allowing you to remotely wipe the data on your lost or stolen phone while still having a secure copy of that data stored in the cloud. Both iPhones and Android phones have straightforward ways of backing up your phone regularly.
4. Learn how to lock or wipe your phone remotely in case of emergency. What if the worst-case scenario occurs and your phone is lost or stolen? You can lock it remotely or even wipe its data entirely. Wiping the phone may seem like a drastic move, but if you maintain regular backups as mentioned previously, your data is secure in the cloud and ready for you to restore. By doing this, hackers won’t be able to access your sensitive information — which can keep you safe. Apple provides users with a step-by-step guide for remotely wiping devices and Google offers a guide for Android users as well.
Informational Sources: support.apple.com (iPhones); support.google.com (Androids); “Smartphone Security: 14 Essential Ways to Secure Your Mobile Device”(NordVPN, June 27, 2023; accessed via https://tinyurl.com/5n6nr3rw).
This information is not intended as authoritative guidance or tax or legal advice. You should consult with your attorney or tax advisor for guidance on your specific situation.
LPL Financial and its advisors are only offering educational services and cannot offer participants investment advice specific to their particular needs. If you are seeking investment advice specific to your needs, such advisory services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.
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