It wouldn’t be wrong to say that smartphones are one of the most important gadgets in our lives. Whether it’s for entertainment, work, communication, or anything else, smartphones are our go-to gadgets. However, while doing all these data-sensitive tasks, we must also ensure that our smartphones remain safe from malicious viruses.
As routine smartphone users, we should know that smartphones are prone to viruses like malware, adware, etc. And since viruses have advanced so much that they may enter our smartphones in unimaginable ways, we must be extra vigilant about our data security on smartphones.
In this post, I discussed some common ways viruses enter our smartphones. I also shared some preventive methods to keep that from happening. So, if you want to keep your smartphone secured, read on:
Common Ways Viruses Enter Our Smartphones
Unsecured Internet Connection
A major part of our daily activities on smartphones may include streaming, playing online games, browsing social media platforms, or communicating with loved ones. These tasks may not be possible without an internet connection. Hence, it’s important that the internet you’re connected to is secure and does not offer a pathway for viruses to enter your smartphone.
Here, you should be specifically careful about the public hotspots. Most public hotspots are unencrypted networks, meaning that everyone, including hackers, can access them without a password.
Emails from Unknown Senders
While spammy emails may be the oldest trick hackers have up their sleeves, it’s one of the most effective techniques, as people still fall prey to it. Hackers may send malicious emails with attachments and hope that people will click or open them.
As soon as such spammy emails are opened, malware discreetly sneaks into the smartphone and starts to steal data.
Clicking on Malicious Ads
Whether you’re surfing social media sites, playing online games, or listening to a song, the internet is full of ads. However, little do most people know that some of these ads may contain adware.
By looks, an adware is no different than a random ad, but it contains a virus. And, as soon as you click on adware, a virus may creep into your smartphone.
Downloading Files from Unverified Sources
Some apps or games may not be available on the Apple Store or Google Play Store, and you may download their APK files from the internet. While most APK files do not contain any virus, there is always the chance that some files may contain malware. Consequently, as soon as you install such files, a virus enters your smartphone and starts disrupting your data.
Ways to Prevent Virus Entering Our Smartphones
Now that I’ve shared how viruses enter our smartphones let’s see some preventive methods to keep them at bay:
Always Use a Secure Internet Connection
As explained above, viruses may easily enter our smartphones if our internet connection isn’t secure. And with smartphones always connected to the internet most of the time, it’s vital that our connections are safe.
So, it’s best to ensure that the internet you’re using is secure and offers top-notch security features to keep your smartphone safe from any virus.
Take Help from Anti-Virus Software
An anti-virus tool is a must to ensure that no virus stays inside your smartphone. As I’ve mentioned above, a virus may enter our smartphones in several ways. And while it’s always recommended to watch out for these ways, a virus may still enter our smartphone due to minor negligence.
In such cases, anti-virus software can thoroughly scan our smartphones and detect and delete malicious files instantly. Also, there are numerous quality anti-virus software available to choose from.
As for me, I’ve been using the anti-virus software that comes with all the Spectrum Internet plans for free. This way, I get access to a secure and reliable internet connection for my daily online browsing.
Do Not Open Unverified Emails
It’s best if you do not open the attachments by unknown senders. Some spammy emails may be so effective that even if you do not download the attachment, the virus may enter by simply clicking on the mail.
Regularly Clear Your Browser’s Cache
Viruses can stay hidden inside our smartphone’s browser’s cache memory for a long time. And in such cases, they may discreetly steal our data or monitor our activity on the internet. So, to be on the safe side, it’s best to frequently clear your browser’s cache memory so no virus stays hidden in the cache memory without you knowing about it.
Bonus Section: How to Know If Your Smartphone is Affected by a Virus?
Before I wind up, look for the following signs in your smartphone, as they may indicate that your device is affected by a virus.
- Some viruses may cause random ads to pop up on your mobile phone.
- Smartphones get heated during normal usage when they are affected by a virus.
- Smartphones use more data than usual because viruses may use the internet to send the stolen data out of your device.
- Random apps may be installed on the smartphone without your knowledge.
