iPhone has a reputation that precedes, as they are said to be most secure smartphones. Cybercriminals have been working on using loopholes and vulnerabilities of hardware and software of iPhone. There are numerous ways in which hackers can intrude in our privacy. So, thinking iPhone is all secure and doesn’t need any security, then you are wrong! Also, it is said prevention is better than the cure.
In this post, we have listed some tips and tricks to keep your iPhone safe and secure.
Tip No 1: Always Keep Your iPhone Updated
It is always recommended to keep all your apps and system up to date to maintain security. iOS updates are released to fix the bugs and loopholes present in iOS, which could minimize the chances of being attacked.
We have discussed a device, GrayKey which is used to crack codes on iOS devices. This device uses loopholes and vulnerabilities on iOS which could be depreciated if you keep your iPhone updated.
Tip No 2. Always use long passwords:
The easiest thing that we do to secure the phone is to add four-digit or six-digit PIN code, however, do you think it’s enough. It is secure as if someone tries to unlock your iPhone and type the wrong passcode 10 times, iPhone will erase everything.
The chances of guessing the passcode correct are thin. It further diminishes if you have 6 digits passcode.Although if a hacker is a pro, he might be able to give n number of tries to unlock the iPhone. Also, if a hacker has a device which can help him to retry PIN numerous times, then they could be able to hack your device.
It is always better to keep a six-digit PIN as it will increase the time duration taken by the hackers to crack. With GrayKey device, 4-digit PIN can be cracked in an hour or maximum two hours, however, to crack six-digit PIN, it might take three days.
It is always said, the longer the password, more time is taken by hackers to crack it. Using alphanumeric password is recommended.
To change password to a stronger and longer password, follow these steps:
- Go to the Settings app on the home screen.
- Navigate to Touch ID & Password.
- You will be prompted to enter your current passcode.
- Now locate Change Passcode and you will be asked to enter your current passcode.
- After entering the Passcode, you will be asked to enter new Passcode, instead, click Passcode Options.
- Choose custom Alphanumeric code, enter and validate new Passcode.
Though these phones come with convenient ways to access your smartphones such as Face ID and Touch ID, they are not security-oriented features. However, whenever your iPhone starts after an update, it asks for passcode instead of the fingerprint, so it is good to have a strong passcode.
Tip No 3. Never Use Free Wi-Fi Without VPN
Public Wi-Fi can be very precarious. Anyone using the same network can view unencrypted network transmissions you do, and if you are connected to a conniving network, it can act as a mediator for phishing and malicious attacks.
Never log on to bank website using public Wi-Fi, as it could be a trap. The website you are redirected to could be a malicious site. It is suggested to use your own cellular data whenever in public and also keep your Wi-Fi turned off in case of any malicious connection available. However, if you want to get connected to public Wi-Fi, use VPN. A good VPN can establish an encrypted connection to a server which is located someplace different. And also, it keeps all the network transmissions secure.
Finding a trustworthy VPN is difficult, so you can’t rely on all the free VPNs. You can check out an article on Systweak blog on Best VPN for iPad and iPhone and choose whichever seems best for you.
Tip No 4. Additional Encryption Can Help
Encryption available on iPhone is not that good, therefore cracking Passcode of iPhone or accessing backups and data, is possible. If you store sensitive information such as credit card numbers, banking passwords and more, so you need additional encryption.
You can use a password manager with its own strong encryption can be used to keep your passwords and other confidential information secure.
Notes app allows you to create encrypted notes, which can be password protected. You can use a strong, and alphanumeric password. If you have iPhone backups, you can create backups using iTunes on your computer.
Tip No 5. Apple ID Secured With Two Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication is an extra layer added to your security system to strengthen the security. It is a one-time code used to access an account. Without password and 2FA code, anyone included hacker can’t access an account.
Getting an access to Apple ID gives access to all devices associated with it and can give access to your credit card added on it. Luckily, Apple offers 2FA on your Apple ID, it is suggested to take benefit of. Activating it means you need to enter a password and six-digit code every time you access Apple ID account, on any device. Adding this additional security, hackers can’t get access to Apple ID and the data associated with it.
Conclusion:
iPhones are said to be the most secure smartphones in the world. However, there can be numerous ways to be a victim of hackers and cybercriminals. So, by using these tricks on the safest smartphone could help your data stay safe.