Best Ways to Protect your own Android Device

Ever since the Android smartphones came to the market they had a rapid growth. So does the threats in it. At the same time more critical data are stored in these smartphones. Hence there is a necessary of protecting your valuable data. Here are some ways in which you can safe guard your data.

Using Screen Lock Feature

All the Android phones have an inbuilt screen lock feature. It can be activated in the Settings. The screen lock can be a Pattern, PIN, or Text.

You need to give the right password to unlock the Android smartphone. But it has some loopholes that the screen lock can be bypassed or can be removed by flashing the device. You can watch the bypass of the screen in Motorola in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGlnwNjW8LU

Using third-party apps

Here are some best apps which help your privacy.

#1. Backup all SMS

SMS Backup and Restore

This is a free Android app to back-up all the SMS in the mobile. It has a feature to upload in the Dropbox after every backup. It also offers other features like scheduled backup, upload to Dropbox only in Wi-Fi, password protection, archive mode (to save all SMS in a single file), save all SMS as XML file which can be opened in PC.

Drawbacks

- The SMS are not automatically deleted after a schedule Backup.
– The app gets killed in Task Manger. So the scheduled backup often Fail.

#2. Hide the apps and Gallery

Most of the launchers like Go Launcher, Holo Launcher, etc. have an option to hide apps from App drawer window so that selected apps can be hided but when using the default theme, the phone has to be rooted to hide the apps.

Drawbacks

- The app has to be deselected from the settings to show the app every time.
– The app shows up automatically wen the default launcher is opened.
– Very Easy to unlock.

Hide It pro

This is the best app for Android to hide Pictures, Videos, Messages and calls.

Features

1) App disguised behind a fully functional Audio Manager
2) Easy to hide by just selecting “Audio Manager” in the share Option
3) Delete/Share/Unhide/Move pictures between albums
4) Runs even in low end phones.
5) Not shown in recent apps list
6) Two lock screen options viz Pin and Password
7) Escape pin/password for times when you get caught.
8) Incoming messages are shown as Error.
9) The add-on hides the app from the app drawer and the app can be opened bya secret code.
10) Built in encryption tool(with military standard 256-bit AES encryption) to secure your most important files
11) Plugins for features like Private Messaging / Calls , Private Browsing , Locking Apps.
etc.

Drawbacks

- Has some minor bug that the lock screen of the app can be bypassed when the locked app is open by the notification bar. For example, when you receive a message in Whatsapp or Viber and you open the app by clicking the notification bar, the app is opened even though the app is locked.
– Needs root status to hide apps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW2wLkEGxg8

#3. Anti-Theft

Avast Mobile Security

Having over 10 million users, it is a best anti-virus for your Android smartphone. It has a very good anti-theft feature. This app takes up the device administration and also the settings are protected by a PIN. Hence the app cannot be uninstalled without the pin and phone can’t be formatted without uninstalling the app.

It has the remote command Feature which helps you to find the smartphone very easily. For example, Just a message “2222 SIREN ON” (2222 is the Avast PIN) from any number to the lost smartphone turns ON the siren. It has very good built in features.

Drawbacks

- Needs to be rooted to use the Locate feature that turns on the GPS automatically to locate the lost phone.