Skip to main content

Stay Safe: Android Security Best Practices to Prevent Hacking

Image of Android Security Tips - protectdevice.com.ng

Talking about Android security best practices, how well do you think your Android devices are protected from hackers? This and many more questions have been popping up concerning the security of Android devices.


What Is Android?

Android is one example of a Mobile Operating System (OS) developed by Google for mobile and other related devices. However, it's good to have the background of what operating system(OS) is all about.


OS is software that controls and manages a computer's software and hardware resources. It's more like a middleman between computer users and computer hardware, it allows the users to interact with the device efficiently and conveniently.


By the way, there are other examples of mobile operating systems available. 

10 Ways to Protect Your Smartphone From Hackers.

Mobile Operating Systems (MOS) 

  • Android (Google) 
  • iOS (Apple) 
  • Windows Phone (Microsoft) 

This article is all about Android device protection. We are only focusing on the Android OS in this post. The history of Android was dated as far back as 2005 when Google acquired Android Inc. The first version of Android( Android 1.0) that was installed in the first Android device T-Mobile G1 was later released in 2008, two years after the acquisition. 


Android is an open-source operating system that allows developers to modify and customize the code. 

Android has security measures that accompany the operating system. 


Google Play Protect: Google Play Protect has In-built security measures put in place to checkmate the activities by scanning apps for Android malware protection and other related threats. 


Encryption: Android has encryption options like, full-disk encryption to protect users' data. 


Regular Security Updates: From time to time, Google releases regular security updates for Android, this is to make sure that users have the latest security patches available. 


For Android lovers,


What are Android Security Best Practices? 


If you want to protect your device and data, here are the Android security best practices to look at.


Pre-Installation

  • Purchase From Authorised Retailers: Always buy your Android devices from authorized Android dealers. You will be sure of the authenticity and also avoid buying Android devices that are already preloaded with malware. 
  • Verify Device's IMEI: Check the device's International Mobile Equipment Identity(IMEI) to confirm that the device is genuine and not a stolen device. 


Device Security 

  • Use Secure Lock Screen: Activate the  screen of your Android device with a very strong PIN/Password. Avoid using easily guessed patterns to prevent unauthorized access to your device. 
  • Enable Device Encryption: Go to your device settings, then go to security and activate the device encryption. This will protect your data from unauthorized access. 
  • Keep Software and Apps Up-to-date: Update your device's operating system regularly and also ensure that all the apps are up to date. This is to enable you to have the latest security patches. 
  • Use Anti-Virus: Always make sure that you have an Anti-Virus from a reputable company. This will ensure that your device is scanned regularly for malicious codes and protect your device. 


App Security 

  1. Download Apps from Google Play Store: Avoid installing apps from external sources, always download apps from Google Play Store. This is to make sure that all the apps are vetted for security. Go to your device's security settings to disallow the device from installing apps from external sources. 
  2. App Permissions: Before you install any app make sure you read the app's permissions to understand what you are giving the app permission to access on your device. Any app that is seeking permission to have access to your sensitive data should not be allowed. 
  3. Update Apps: Make sure you update your apps regularly, this is to fix all the vulnerabilities with the latest security patches. 
  4. Use App Sandbox: File sharing between apps is not Android security best practice, always isolate apps from each other by enabling app sandboxing to prevent data sharing. 


Data security

  1. Use VPN: One of the Android security best practices is the use of a virtual private network(VPN) when connecting to public WiFi networks. This encrypts your data to prevent unauthorized access. 
  2. Two-Factor Authentication: 2FA is another Android security best practice that you should enable on your Android device. This is aimed at frustrating any hacker trying to access your device from a remote network. They can only have access to your data if you disclose the One Time Password(OTP) when they make the request. 
  3. Data Backup: Regularly backup your Android device's data. This will help you to retain your data in case of an attack on your device. You can easily retrieve your data from a cloud storage system in a remote location. Eg Google Drive or an external hard drive. 
  4. Use Password Manager: Always generate and store complex, unique passwords with a secure password manager. Your passwords should have a combination of upper/lower case, unique characters and numbers to be strong. 


Network Security 

  • Use a Secure Wi-Fi Network: Always connect to your secured WiFi network like a home network or VPN. Avoid public WiFi networks when working on sensitive data with your Android device. If you must connect to public WiFi networks, I have made a post highlighting all the challenges of using public WiFi networks. 
  • Disable Bluetooth or Wi-Fi When not in Use: Leaving your Bluetooth or WiFi on when not in use is not Android security best practice. Hackers may capitalize on the vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to your data. 
  • Use a Firewall: Make sure you enabled the firewall on your Android device to block all the incoming and outgoing connections in your device. 
  • Use a Secure Browser: In addition to all these security practices, always use a secure browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox to protect your browsing data. 


If you observe all these Android security best practices, believe me, you will significantly have a safe and protected Android device that will serve your needs. Always monitor your device, if you notice any suspicious or phishing activities on your device quickly report to the relevant authority. 


Stay safe! 















Share on WhatsApp

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Secure Your Android Phone in Nigeria (2025 Guide)

🔐 Introduction: Why Mobile Security in Nigeria Is Urgent Imagine waking up one morning only to discover your bank account has been emptied overnight. Not because you misplaced your phone or told someone your password, but because a criminal cloned your SIM card or installed a fake banking app without your knowledge. This is not a scene from a movie — it's a daily reality for thousands of Nigerians who fall victim to mobile-related cybercrimes. In Nigeria today, mobile phones are more than just communication tools. They are digital wallets, ID holders, workstations, and social lifelines. From transferring money and receiving alerts to storing confidential documents and accessing sensitive apps, we rely on our Android phones for nearly everything. Yet, many people still use these powerful devices with little or no protection. The threat isn’t just from obvious scams anymore. It now includes sophisticated attacks like SIM swap fraud according to NCC Consumer Alerts , where criminals...
Post a Comment
Read more

10 Ways to Protect Your Smartphone From Hackers.

  How to protect your smartphone from hackers? Smartphones have become part of our daily lives in this part of the world. We all know the importance of the smartphone in our lives, it has made life easier for people in handling most of their online activities but it has its problems and security is one of them. Every technology has its challenges,  The question now is, what are the ways to protect your smartphone from hackers? But before we proceed, let's understand who is a hacker in this context. Who is a Hacker? Anybody who uses computer skills to gain unauthorized access to a network, computer systems or data is a hacker. They can achieve this through various ways like coding, social engineering and exploiting vulnerabilities in the system, most time to breach security measures. It is important to note that not all hackers are bad, this will lead us to know the types of hackers in the industry. Types of Hackers Black Hat Hackers: These are the bad guys, they use their tec...
Post a Comment
Read more