Smartphone Security Tips - Keep Your Tracfone Safe!

Smartphone Security Guide and the Best Anti-Virus Apps

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Do you need an anti-virus app? How can you keep your phone secure with all the possible threats out there? These are good questions and we will be answering them and more in this smartphone security guide.

Most people have heard about computer viruses and malware but many don't know that smartphones can also fall victim. Fortunately there area handful of basic security tips that can make a big difference in securing your phone.

These tips are mostly for Android users, but they also apply to Apple devices which can be susceptible.

Fun fact, smartphones can't actually get infected with a virus, which is a specific type of self-replicating  malicious software. However, there are many other types of malware which can infect a phone in different ways.

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Smartphone security is becoming more and more important as we use our phones for a wider range of things, going beyond just calling and texting, to shopping, banking and more. Keeping your phone and information secure can typically be accomplished by following this simple list of basic security tips.

5 Basic Smartphone Security Tips

These are five basic tips to help keep you and your phone more secure.

1. Secure Your Phone with a Lock Code
If your phone is not secured with a lock code or fingerprint lock, someone could either accidentally or purposefully access your phone and install malicious apps and software. Set a code or other lock, and you won't have to worry about that.

2. Keep Your Phone Updated with the Latest OS and App Updates.
While it can be a hassle when your phone or other apps seem to update all the time, these updates often fix security holes and bugs. Check for system updates on an Android phone by going to Settings, then About Phone (or on some phones, Security and Location) and scroll down for Software Updates and tap it to check for new updates. Here's a more detailed walk through for checking for updates.

3. Don't Download Apps Unless they look Trustworthy
There have been a number of apps that were actually operating in nefarious ways and even installing malicious software on user's devices who downloaded these apps. The first step in avoiding this is by always using the Google Play store for downloading apps.

What to look for when checking if an app is safe

Next, use these steps to check if an app looks trustworthy:

• Who is the Developer? Check the developer's name, which is below the app's name, and do a quick search on Google to determine what else they have been involved with. 
• How Many Downloads does the App Have? If an app has a large number of downloads it is probably good to go.
• What about Reviews? Check the number of reviews and if it is a large number (and relatively positive) the app should be safe.
• When was it Published? If you are downloading a well known app like Instagram but it says it was just published recently, you might be downloading a fake.

Following these steps should help reduce the chance of downloading a malicious app. Games are typically the most common app used to hide malware, so pay special attention to these.

4. Don't Enter Personal Information over Unsecured or Public WiFi
Avoid entering any personal information like credit card numbers or your social security number while using any public unsecured WiFi. It can be possible for someone to track your keystrokes or get other information.

5. Keep Bluetooth Turned Off When Not in Use
Bluetooth is a common way to connect your phone with speakers, headphones and more but it can also be used to access vulnerabilities on your phone. The best defense is to keep it off when not in use and especially in busy, public areas.

Following this list of tips will go a long way in helping to secure your phone. But what about using a security app for additional protection? Let's take a look.

Do You Need an Anti-Virus App?

The short answer is not really.

For many smartphone users, an Anti-virus app is not necessary and following the above tips should be enough to keep your phone safe. But if you tend to download a lot of different apps or want that extra security, there are a number good security apps, some paid and some free, that can give you peace of mind.

Here are some of the best we've found:

• Avast Antivirus - Free version available with ads. Does a good job scanning and comes with a number of features. Link to Avast on Google Play
• Bitdefender - Paid app ($15) with excellent scanning and offers VPN and other features. Link to Bitdefender on Google Play.

One thing to note with anti-virus apps, if you're using an older phone the apps may slow it down noticeably during scans.

That concludes our guide to keeping your smartpthone safe. Leave a comment below with any thoughts or questions.

See a list of the best apps for Android that we've put together.

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