How do you decide how to secure your mobile phone? We all pretty much know how to basically secure our computers, with the majority of people either being loyal to a single paid-for piece of security software or using a free version such as AVG or Avast.
But with a mobile phone, it always seems to be a bit more complicated. Putting a few keywords into an app store seems to turn up thousands of different security apps all of which claim to be the essential security tool you have always been looking for. Which ones should you go for?
And there are even more factors to consider now than ever before. Online privacy is much discussed in the media and is coming more and more under threat no matter where in the world you live. How do you protect that too?
It seems like a tough call to make, but it doesn’t have to be. I have worked in the cyber-security field for many years and in that time I have road-tested many of the most popular security programmes and apps on the market.
I have found some good ones, some terrible ones, and some that do a few things ok, and others not so good. I have also found a few with a number of very useful perks alongside the security and privacy features they offer. Want to know how to watch Netflix in Europe? One of my tops tips can help you do that.
So if you want to know the 3 essential apps you need on your smartphone to guarantee your security (and let you enjoy US Netflix abroad), keep on reading.
1. Anti–Virus Software: –360 Security
Anti-Virus software is perhaps the one piece of the online security toolkit all netizens are familiar with. And when it comes to making your mobile phone secure, they are still one of the top 3 apps you should reach for.
All the biggest names in the anti-virus industry are represented in the mobile sector too, but for me, the pick of the bunch on the market right now for me is an app called 360 Security.
360 Security is the total anti-virus package. It offers real-time protection against all kinds of viruses, Trojans, and malware. It also boasts a variety of different privacy functions which allow you to protect private messages and even your contacts. Plus, there is also a filter service for both calls and SMS messages if you need it.
If that alone doesn’t sound like plenty, there is still more. 360 Security also comes with an additional ‘Boost’ feature which lets you manage your phone’s memory to make sure it is running as well as possible. Plus, there is also a function to allow you to clean up any unwanted apps and software from your mobile phone.
360 Security is the best all-round anti-virus software on the market at the moment and is a must-have for anyone serious about protecting their mobile phone.
2. Password Manager: KeyPassX
If you haven’t heard of a Password Manager before, you are missing a big trick. Because we all know how annoying it is to forget a password, and yet how hard it can be to try and remember a different one for each of the plethora of different online accounts we all hold.
A Password manager deals with that problem, and KeypassX is the best of the bunch for your mobile phone.
It works by securely storing all your passwords and letting you access them via a single master password. This password becomes the only one you have to remember. A good password manager, such as KeypassX can also help you generate complex and secure passwords that are hard for even the most advanced hacker to crack.
KeypassX is an open source programme and to be honest it is not the most user-friendly out there. But with a little practice, it is easy to get to grips with and it is definitely the most secure password manager on the market. Once you download it, you will wonder how you ever managed without it.
3. A VPN:
My last pick is also arguably the most important and valuable of the lot. A VPN (or Virtual Private Network) is a tool which allows you to connect to the internet via an encrypted connection to a remote server.
Sounds complicated, but it really isn’t, and the security and privacy benefits it brings you are almost mind-boggling.
Firstly, a VPN can enable you to be totally anonymous online. Because all your online activity is encrypted, it is invisible or unintelligible to anyone who might be trying to hack into your system. The encrypted connection also means that your IP Address is hidden and none of your online activity can be traced back to you.
So a VPN can let you be both secure and invisible online. But there is more. Many mobile phones users will connect to public Wi-Fi networks while they are out and about, and these are notoriously insecure and risky. But not with a VPN, as your activity in encrypted on these too.
And there are other perks too. Because a VPN reroutes your traffic via an external server to hide your IP Address, you can also use a VPN to access content which is geo-restricted (i.e. can only be watched in certain countries).
Which brings me back to my added perk of how to watch Netflix in Europe. Because if you are in Europe, but trying to connect to your Netflix (or a similar streaming device) account, you will usually be disappointed. But not with a VPN, as all you need to do is log on via a US server and your access continue as if you were still in the USA.
So, not only is a VPN a must-have security and privacy tool, but it also has the added perk of opening up a world of internet sites and services that might otherwise not be available to you. An essential tool for your mobile phone.
