Most people don’t think about the consequences of getting their cell phone hacked until it is too late. A lot of sensitive information can be stolen and used for all kinds of devious behaviors from identity theft, bank fraud, and more. In order to avoid a disruption in your life that could take years to recover from, follow these ten tips to protect your phone from being hacked.  

1. Never use a public charging station

If a hacker compromised the charging port, the amount of information they can gather is limitless. Public charging stations are often found in places such as airports, universities, and malls. The best way to charge your phone without the worry, is to bring your phone’s charging cord with you and plug it into an electrical wall outlet or connect your phone to a portable phone charger you purchased. It is always better to be safe than sorry later.

2. Never use free public Wi-Fi

It may seem harmless to use the public Wi-Fi at your local coffee shop, but beware hackers are everywhere waiting for you to give them access to your private information. The best thing to do is stay on your smartphone’s provider network. If you absolutely must use Wi-Fi for anything that needs Wi-Fi like the app or phone updates, there are virtual private networks (VPNs) that have recently become available to protect your phone.

3. Always turn off GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth when not in use

Make sure these things are always off if you aren’t using them in public places, your car, and even at home. Criminals like to violate the privacy of people in the most intimate settings.

4. Uninstall software you don’t use

Delete apps you don’t use and update all apps as soon as updates become available to ensure bug fixes.

5. Use strong passwords or biometric technologies

Always try to make your passwords as long and complex as possible. Use a mixture of lower and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. The longer and more complicated it is, the more difficult and longer it will take thieves to crack. Facial or fingerprint recognition always works well and when combined with a strong password, it is virtually impossible for anyone to get into your phone.

6. Don’t install apps from outside your official app store

Apple has the App Store and Google has Google Play for your protection. If you want to download a new app on your phone from some one-off site you aren’t familiar with, it is best not to download it at all.

7. If possible, only use an iPhone

This isn’t an iPhone endorsement. In the past, Google has allowed infected apps into the Google Play store and the phone owner is solely responsible for keeping them up-to-date and malware-free. Apple is responsible for iPhone security as long as you didn’t add apps not authorized by Apple or remove any of the iPhone’s security protections.

8. Don’t pay bills on your phone

If you must pay bills using your cell phone, only do so on one browser you install and only use it for paying bills. This will help you avoid trojans that infect browsers. This also works well on a computer.

9. Never download pirated movies or music

A suspicious source is a suspicious source. There is no honor among thieves and you should always think twice when downloading these items, especially when they are free. It is better to watch movies or hear music from a legitimate, legal, and trustworthy source. Pirated music and movies cost a lot more in the long run if you encounter trouble.

10. Always enable Find My iPhone or Android Device Manager

This is the very first thing you should do every time you purchase a new phone. You can remotely locate, lock, or factory reset your phone if your phone is lost or stolen. Even if a hacker gets into your phone, it is completely meaningless if there isn’t anything available on the phone to steal.