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| It is therefore important that you keep your handset from prying eyes. |
Your
Android smartphone, more often than not, carries a lot of personal
data, including e-mails , passwords, photos and videos, messages,
contacts - and even sensitive office documents. It is therefore
important that you keep your handset from prying eyes. Equally crucial
is a contingency plan, just in case it falls into the wrong hands...
Did you know that Android - version 2.2 and later - comes with a feature that lets you track and manage your mobile device?
Look for Google Settings among all the apps on your handset. It is
denoted by a grey icon with a lower case 'g' and a gear symbol. Tap on
the app, and choose the last option which reads 'Android Device Manager'
.
From here, you can activate features that will locate your device in
case it is lost or misplaced, and you can also remotely lock and factory
reset your handset.
After you've checked these options on your phone, you can log on to the
Android Device Manager website (www.google.com/android/ devicemanager)
using your Google account to control your phone remotely.
Protect your handset
An unprotected smartphone could prove to be a soft target for hackers.
To guard against malicious apps and OS breaches, we suggest AntiVirus
Security Free by AVG Mobile, Mobile Security & Antivirus by Avast
Software, or Norton Security antivirus. In most cases, the free versions get the job done.
These tools check the apps you install for suspicious behaviour and even
shield your phone from rogue websites. Most free versions can also
track your phone in case it is stolen or misplaced; sound an alarm to
help you locate it, and even remotely wipe the data on a lost device.
Note: Always choose and run only one antivirus software on your handset.
Snap the intruder
If you want a tool that will help you identify the person who has stolen
your smartphone, install Lockwatch Anti-Theft by Bloketech. This app
uses the front camera to click a photo of the thief who has attempted to
unlock your phone with the wrong code. It then e-mails the picture to
you along with GPS location, making it easy for law enforcers to track
and identify the thief.
The best part is that Lockwatch works silently in the background, so a
person trying to gain access to your device doesn't even know he's been
photographed.
Track your device
With Prey Anti Theft installed on your phone, you can track its
geographical location as well as control the phone remotely. If there is
no internet connection, you can send an SMS command to the device to
receive its geolocation details. You can remotely lock the handset,
unlock it; display a message to the thief on its screen, sound an alarm,
take a picture of the crook, and even wipe the data from the phone.
Dos & Don'ts
* Do not download attachments on your phone from e-mails sent by unknown contacts.
* Before installing an app, take a look at the permissions it seeks. For
example, an app that allows you to scribble notes should not ask
permission to see your contacts.
* Install apps that have a good rating and a healthy number of downloads (at least over 10,000)
* Use a PIN/Password on your lockscreen.
* Don't connect an app to your Google, Facebook and Twitter accounts,
unless you have very good reasons to do so. Just because an app asks you
for your account details, doesn't mean you should comply.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
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