A Beginner’s Guide to Smartphone Security

Smartphone security is an incredibly important consideration for most people. While Apple has developed a reputation for security and Android is known to have many weaknesses, this does not mean that your phone is completely safe. Furthermore, are you sure that your children, who are increasingly using smartphones, are safe from this threat? In this article, we will provide a complete overview of smartphone security. We will list how you can identify if your phone’s security has been compromised, and then move on to how you can make sure your phone remains safe from these threats. We will also consider how you can oversee the digital safety of your child and loved ones via a smartphone monitoring app. Moreover, we will identify one of the top smartphone monitoring apps, and review it in detail, showcasing how it can help you in this regard.

Signs that Your Phone Has Been Hacked

It is not always easy to tell if your phone’s safety has been compromised. This is because hackers and criminals find unique ways to install malware or a virus on your smartphone without your awareness. In other words, you may not even know that your phone has been hacked. You may be wondering why someone would want to hack into your phone. Well, smartphones now carry detailed information about our personal and professional lives. Your social media content, your financial details, your personal data, and even your phone’s computing power can be exploited. Blackmailing, scams, identity theft, loss of privacy, and financial loss are among the consequences of this. So make sure you are alert to the following signs that may indicate that your phone has been hacked.

• Battery drainage issues: Get your phone checked if you notice that your phone has suddenly developed battery drainage problems. This occurs because malware uses the phone’s computing power too.
• Increased data use: Many spyware and other programs typically communicate with the hacker via the internet. Take note of how much data your phone is using. If you notice an increase that cannot be explained by your use, it may mean that malware is active.
• Odd activities on email/social media: Remember that your phone has data related to your social media accounts and email address. Anyone who can hack into your phone can access your email inbox and social media accounts too. Get your phone checked if you notice odd email or social media activities.
• Slower processing: As previously mentioned, spyware makes use of the phone’s computing power. Your apps will crash more frequently if spyware if competing with it for your phone’s computing resources.
• Phone lights up: This is a major sign of active spyware. Be guarded if you notice that your phone lights up on its own.
• Phone restarts frequently: While this may not be a tell-tale sign as the phone can restart during important updates, it is also true for malware. Stay alert to this if your phone restarts suspiciously and without context.

How to improve your smartphone’s security?

Here are some important ways you can improve your phone’s security.

• Create a strong password: This goes without saying, but having a strong password can reduce the chances of someone hacking into your phone. Avoid pattern-locks because they are easy to spot. Opt for a longer password instead.
• Mind your surroundings: Take care where you are using your phone. Anyone snooping in can take note of your password, email address, and other similar data to specifically target you.
• Purchase a reputable antivirus app: We strongly suggest you purchase an antivirus app because most free options are not as effective.
• Take note of app permissions: Always check what permissions you have granted to each app. Many ostensibly useful apps end up secretly collecting your personal data.
• Use VPN: A Virtual Private Network (VPN) app can greatly decrease the chances of a successful hack.
• Encrypt your data: This is a measure of last resort. By encrypting important data, you can make it incredibly difficult for a criminal to obtain your data, even if your phone’s security is breached.

How to improve the security of your loved ones

It’s one thing to secure your smartphone, but an entirely different ball game when it comes to ensuring the safety of your loved ones. For example, your parents may not be tech-savvy, and your children may not recognize the threats they are exposed to. What do you do in such a situation? Well, the first thing you should do is to properly communicate basic safety practices. Furthermore, you can use a smartphone monitoring app to oversee their safety. With such an app, you can see detailed information about the phone, without having to violate their privacy. Let’s take a look at one such app, and how useful it is.

XNSPY smartphone monitoring app

XNSPY is a renowned smartphone monitoring app that offers a competitive set of features that can aid you in ensuring the phone’s security. The app has other utilities as well, so opting for it can help you in other areas too. It is frequently used by parents to keep track of their children.

This app is compatible with both Android and iOS devices and can be installed on tablets as well. For Android, it supports all versions 4.0 and above. On the other hand, iOS devices running on versions above 6.0 are supported by the app.

Concerning cost, there are two different subscription options. For the best functionality, there is a premium version that costs USD 7.49 per month. However, if you want an even more affordable option, you can choose the basic version at USD 4.99 a month. Bear in mind that you will be sacrificing some features for the lower cost.

How can XNSPY improve security?

XNSPY has a wide variety of available features that can help your ensure that the phone remains safe. Let’s take a look at some of the most important functions.

• Telecommunications monitoring: With this, you can view the complete call log, along with sent and received SMS/MMS as well. Calls and text messages are one method through which spyware programs update or communicate with the hacker. This way, you can identify if anything suspicious occurs.
• App management: You can use XNSPY to view all installed apps, and block any app you feel is suspicious. Similarly, you can monitor instant messaging and social media apps, along with sent or received emails to identify any phishing attempts. Web browsing history is also accessible.
• Location tracking & remote control: With XNSPY, you can view the location of the phone in real-time. This is a very useful feature if the phone is lost. Similarly, you can remotely control the phone too. For example, you can remotely lock the phone, or restart it. Another useful feature is that you can remotely delete all data from the phone. This way, you can prevent criminals from accessing personal data. Remember to regularly create backups of your information on a secure platform.
• Instant alerts: This is a very useful feature that can assuage any privacy-related concerns that your loved ones may have. You can add any word, contact, or location to the XNSPY watch list, and the app will immediately notify you of any relevant activity. Also, you can toggle on/off any feature with a single click to balance security and privacy.

How to install & use XNSPY

It may seem complicated at first, but the installation is quite simple. All you need to do is subscribe to the service via the app’s official website. You will receive an email that contains relevant login information, installation instructions, and a URL to download the app. Just access the link via the Android phone and run the installation wizard. On the other hand, no physical access to the iPhone is required. However, you need to know the Apple ID and password of the phone you wish to monitor.

You need to access the XNSPY control panel to use any of the aforementioned features. To do so, simply login to your XNSPY account on the app’s website, and select your device under the “My Devices” menu. The website will open a new webpage. This is the control panel. You can use any feature through the menu list on the left. Everything is neatly organized under different categories, so it won’t take you long to figure it out.

XNSPY advantages & disadvantages

Here are some pros and cons of the app that you should keep in mind before purchase.

Advantages

• A highly affordable service especially compared to its competitors
• Advanced alerts that keep you informed on the go
• Comprehensive app management & data security management system

Disadvantages

• The app has a high potential for misuse.
• It can be a bit difficult to navigate your way around the control panel at first.
• Some features may require rooting/jailbreak, which only adds to the security concerns.

We hope that this guide proves to be comprehensive in guiding you towards the right decisions. Remember, you can take many security precautions, but no method is completely fool-proof. The most you can do is reduce the chances of successful hacking. As we outlined, there are both behavioral and technical components to this. Ensuring the safety of your loved ones can also cause concern. However, a smartphone monitoring app such as XNSPY can help you in that department. Given the nature of the threat, you would have to invest some financial resources for security.