The use of security apps on smart devices few years back is not to be compared to how popular and significant it is today. With the invention of new technology every now and then, there is a need for consistence in creating useful apps that can help secure users while using smart devices like Androids, IPhones, IPads, Mac, PC, TV sets, digital cameras, Learntechnews.com and even spy cameras.
So how can we effectively use these apps for our devices if we ask? If you may know, it goes beyond just installing these apps and expecting them to do the magic for you. However, as you read on, you will get to know that, not all devices you can effectively use a security app upon, the best you can do for some is to install updates to its latest version and with the apps installed for some, you need not to forget important settings and set-ups that will help you go a long way in making use of your apps efficiently. Hence, let us look at some of these devices and the compatible security applications that are recommended to support them before outlining the important steps you need to take in making sure you get the best out of your security apps on your smart device.
IOS Security Apps?
So many Apple users wish to install IOS antivirus software for their IPhones and Ipads, but the fact remains that such software does not exist. Apple will not let a third-party app examine other IOS apps, or even inspect new apps as they are installing. Anything that claims to be antivirus software quickly gets kicked out of the iTunes App Store. Apple guards the IPhone’s security measures so closely that the most you can do is install IOS updates, which normally include security fixes. With a recently released software updates for all of its operating systems, each updates fixes a fistful of security flaws in Apple’s sandbox restrictions, which prevent apps from affecting each other, and these flaws often gets manipulated by a malicious app to steal data from another app.
However, if you want to keep your IPhone, Mac, Apple TV or Apple Watch safe and healthy, it is recommend installing these updates today.
Latest On Apple Security Update
Here are some few guide and tips to enable you use these updates effectively on your various devices.
IOS Updates
Ten of the fixes in iOS 12.1.3 available for iPhones and iPads, protect devices against arbitrary code execution, preventing malcontents from taking control of your phone, while three of those solutions protect Safari’s Web Kit rendering engine, these flaws is also fixed in iOS’ Bluetooth implementation and the FaceTime app.
How to Update IPhones and IPads: On your device, go to Settings, tap General, tap Software update, tap Download and install. Expect your phone to spend a brief amount of time in update limbo, so it is recommended you do not run this when you are expecting important calls.
Best Mac Updates
Apple is delivering security updates to MacOS Mojave users with latest versions 10.14.3 and to systems running MacOS High Sierra and Sierra in the form of Security Update 2019-001. These updates also patch the desktop and laptop platform against arbitrary-code-execution attacks, including multiple flaws that could give attackers high-level privileges at both the system and the even-deeper kernel level.
How to Update Macs: If you happen to have MacOS Mojave, click the Apple logo in the top left corner, select System Preferences, click Software Update and click Update Now. Those on Sierra or High Sierra will also click the Apple logo, but then select App Store and click Updates.
Apple WatchOS 5.1.3 and TvOS 12.1.2
Apple Watch and Apple TV do not have stand-alone web browsers, but WatchOS 5.1.3 and TVOS 12.1.2 still get the Web Kit patches to protect against executable code, plus other fixes, because they share the underlying technologies of Apple’s bigger platforms.
How to Update Apple Watch And Tv: Open the Watch app on your iPhone, scroll to General, tap Software Update and run the available update.
To update the Apple TV, open the Settings app on the Apple TV, select system, select Software updates, select Update software and click Update Now.
Android / PC Antivirus Apps
The Bitdefender Security app version for both PC and Androids is an all-in one effective tool to be safe and secure from cyber attacks and malwares. The bitdefender central is a one stop security centre; you can use it for protection on any device you own remotely, wherever you are, you are in control, if your computer or device is acting strangely or functioning unusually, you can scan them remotely from the bitdefender app. It has a free up storage space with high performance, if anyone is using your Wi-Fi without permission – it notifies you with an alert, you can also access parental control to keep track of your kids location and online activity. If you can’t find your phone or laptop, you can use the anti-theft function to locate it in real time, lock the device if it gets stolen, and stay updated in real time. Very easy to use such that you can even use voice commands and the bitdefender app is compatible with Amazon alexia and Google assistant.
Making Most Out Of Your Security Apps
The following tips will ensure you get every information you need at your fingertips as they outline the thorough steps in fighting against cyber attacks in the form of phishing and malwares.
Test Your Apps For Full-proof Against Vulnerability
If you’re security conscious, you don’t have to be told about the need for testing your app for consistency before usage. It may interest you to know that automatic rather than manual testing is the best option when it comes to mobile app testing which helps to detect against common vulnerabilities such as SQL injections. When testing, look out for compatibility; suppose an app can work on the high resolution and it doesn’t work on the fewer lower resolution. In addition, there are many types of testing made for various purposes like; performance testing, functional testing, interrupt testing, usability testing, certification testing, outdated version testing, security testing, installation testing and etcetera.
Use Simple App authentication Platforms
The digital world today makes it difficult to know legitimate users from hackers; however, a smart way to authenticate users is through a combination of MDM and EMM. However, this is may not be a compatible solution for mobile users; a more practical approach is to use OAuth 2.0 which allows you to grant limited access to your resources on one site, to another site, without having to expose your credentials. It will interest you to note that Android, iOS, Windows, and other latest web browsers all support OAuth 2.0 services. Therefore, there is no reason any developer should be using any other form of authentication.
Use Google Play Protect For Androids
If you’re an Android user, you will be aware about the fact the Google play protect platform secures over two billion users daily, supported by the potency of Google’s machine learning algorithms, this platform is always improving in real time; this is why it’s the safest place to download apps, games, movies, music and etcetera.
You should note that all Android apps undergo rigorous security testing before appearing in the Google Play Store, so by using Google Play, be lest assured that no matter where you download your app from, it’s been checked by Google Play Protect. It also increases your confidence while surfing the net such that when you visit a suspicious site, you will receive a warning alert and hence take you back to safety. The ‘find my device’ platform of the Google Play Protect helps you find your phone if its stolen provided you’ve added your Google account to your device, and if you’re convinced your phone is lost, it helps erase all your data for security purpose.
.Secure Your Data And Account
Having your information kept safe and secured is of great importance when surfing the net, this is the more reason why Google notifies you when you’re about granting access to a third-party site or app, but what’s important here is for you to understand the potency of information that you share with these apps or sites.
You can easily tell what access like contacts, location, plug-ins and etcetera, you have recently shared with third party apps on your device by quickly flipping through the app permissions on your phone.
Therefore, you may as well want to review all third party access to your Google accounts so that you can revoke any that appears suspicious and equally choose the right settings for yourself. An additional tip is to add a screen lock to your device, which is an important feature in keeping Androids more secure.
Wrapp your apps
App wrapping is a method of applying security policies to mobile application such as email or a specially made business app in the form of APIs, which can help protect corporate data without the need to changing the app’s functionalism.
Effectively organizing your apps and applying security policies to your mobile application is of great importance, and app wrapping tends to be a great option for that purpose. App wrapping segments the app from the rest of the device by summing everything up in a small-managed environment. app wrapping is widely supported by most developers, and with a few setting parameters, and no coding, you can segment your apps easily. The only thing about app-wrapping approach is that, you may not be able to share authentication credentials.
Be Sporadic In Setting-up Passwords
It is detrimental to have a concept of using the same password for login into numerous accounts. This is true as it increases your security risk because if anyone should gain access to your password, all of your personal information online could be compromised.
Create a unique and complex password consisting of mixed upper and lower case combination of letters and numbers, more than six characters long for each account so that you can eliminate any risk and as well keep your accounts more protected. To manage your accounts effectively, you may consider using a password manager, which can to help you to create, safeguard and keep track of all your passwords used online.
Apply Security Settings To APIs
So many people today appears to be using APIs to manage data and business logic, which is also used for web, Windows, Android, and IOS development. Indeed, and we all know that; APIs when used in the mobile world is arguably future-proof. Hence, each API should require an app-level authentication.
It is therefore important to always confirm and authenticate who is using the services, and limit sensitive data to memory as the case may be through a sound policy management.
Managing MDM And EMM On Your Device
The most efficient way to manage iOS devices is with the use of mobile device management (MDM) or enterprise mobile management (EMM) product or service from vendors such as MaaS360, MobileIron and AirWatch. You can also use the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol, which is another policy management tool that lets mobile phone users access their email, calendar, contacts, and tasks, and lets them continue to access this information when they’re working offline, set policies such as minimum password length, device locking, and maximum failed password attempts and also controls which type of mobile devices can synchronize with your organization through device access rule.
Set-up A Two-step Verification Process
When you orchestrate two-step verification for any of your accounts, it helps protect you even if anyone has an access to your password. This platform in detail requires something you know which can be your password or pin number and something you have, which most often will be your device, to be able to sign into your account. However, while doing these, be ready in response for the second verification step each time you sign in. second step verification process can be in the form of choosing to have codes sent to your phone, or by downloading an Authentication app, which generates verification codes even if the device you’re using has no phone or data connectivity.
Be Keen To Having Your Software Up-to-date
Older versions of applications used on smart devices are the ones that often fall for hacking, It is therefore advisable to always update the entire app on your smart devices to help protect your online activity, either you’re using an android, apple or PC version of device, do run the latest version of software across the web browsers, plug-ins, operating systems, and applications. Some of these apps may tend to update themselves while others will require you to set them to automatically update themselves if it does not notify you when it is time to run an update.
Make Use Of Threat Modeling Analysis
This can be a way realistic way of coming to a conclusion on choosing the kinds of protection you want for your data. It’s impossible to protect against every kind of trick or scam, so you should concentrate on which people might want your data, what they may likely want from it, and how or through which medium they might get it. The coming up with a set of possible attacks you plan to protect against is called threat modeling, and once you have a threat model carried out, you can now conduct a risk analysis.
In the IT World, a threat is a potential event that could undermine your efforts to defend your data. You can counter the threats you face by determining what you need to protect and from whom you need to protect it.
Check For site encryption
When signing in or login in to a website, it is ideal to look out to see if the web address begins with https://, if it does; it is an indication that your connection to the website is encrypted and more resistant to prying and tampering.
Don’t Trust Any Site
Many hackers out there can present themselves as staffs of known companies by sending direct mails to victims or requesting victims to click on Ads to link up to a similar sites just visited, this Phishing technique employed by hackers requires you to avoid replying suspicious emails, instant messages, or responding to pop-up windows that ask for personal information, like passwords, bank account or credit card numbers.
For your safety assurance, even when you receive messages from trusted websites enquiring about your password or username, it is better to go directly to the site to login into your account, never click on the link or respond with a reply message. You should have it back of your mind that legitimate sites will not send messages requesting you to send your passwords, or sensitive information via email.
Set Digital Ground Rules For Your Household
It’s important you expose your children to the danger of cybercrime so that they can have helpful tips and basics in protecting themselves on their devices. Common things like having a very strong password, selecting the kind of content to share online, spotting online frauds, are some easy tips to hold on to with the use of ‘Be Internet Awesome’ multifaceted platform that is powered by Google; which helps teaches children how to protect themselves online. Also, another app you can make use of here, is the Family Link app that helps to manage Google account settings; which you can use to set restrictions on some suspicious sites and updates on your household devices.
