where am i now
The first thing to note is that apps determine the user’s location. Navigators and marketplaces need location for easier use of apps so the user doesn’t have to manually enter the city and address. However, access to geolocation may also be requested by some photo editors whose creators are unknown.
Apps that don’t need to know your location are better off not granting these permissions.
To do this, on smartphones based on Android, you need to find the necessary application on the desktop, hold down its icon and in the window that opens, select the item “Details” or click on the icon with the letter “i”. Then, in the “Permissions” section, you must revoke access to determine the location.
In the case of iPhone, you need to open “Settings” – “Privacy” – “Location Services”. Once you have selected the desired app, prohibit it from tracking geolocation.
It would also be helpful to specify the accuracy of the definition for applications that still have access. In iOS this is done in the same section – simply turn “Exact location” on or off. On Android, this item is also in this section.
Important addresses
If you don’t want Apple and Google to know your favorite places, home and work addresses, you should turn off location tracking.
On iOS, simply open “Settings” – “Privacy” – “Location Services” – “System Services” and go to “Important Locations”. At the end of the activity history, click “Clear history” and then turn off tracking.
For Android users, turning off detection is a bit more difficult. This is in Google’s “Maps” settings”chronology» — «Location history». To clear the history, simply click on the icon with a picture of a trash can in “Chronology”.
Access to photos and videos
Most users do not store dangerous photos in their smartphone galleries. But even in this case, it is better to take care of the security of personal data and prohibit applications from accessing the gallery, moreover, games and other entertainment programs, for example, will not work.
In iOS you need to open “Settings” – “Privacy” – “Photos”. There, you must already select a specific app and either deny access to the gallery altogether or allow it to see only selected images.
On Android, for this you need to press and hold the icon of the desired application and go to the “Permissions” section. There you should deny access to storage with media files.
metadata
Oftentimes, when users send photos and videos to someone, they don’t think that they are also passing along with them information about the date the file was created, the location, or even the device. Attackers can use this data for their own purposes – for example, to make sure you’re on vacation, which means no one is home.
You can use the app to turn off metadata transfer on iPhone. metaphor. It not only cleans the metadata, but also allows you to fix it. For Android, similar functionality is provided by the application. Photo EXIF Editor.
Camera and microphone
It will not be superfluous to turn off the camera and microphone on your smartphone, so as not to worry when talking about something important and intimate.
On iOS, all you have to do is open Settings – Privacy – Camera or Microphone and select the appropriate apps to prevent from turning on the respective sensors.
On Android, everything is a little simpler – on the desktop you need to select the desired application, hold the icon and go to the application details, open the permissions section and revoke access to the camera and microphone located there.
In addition, smartphones with Android 12 have the ability to quickly disable the microphone and camera at the system level – this can be done directly from the quick settings menu. Basically, this feature is only available on smartphones running “pure Android”.
Other permissions
To increase your own level of security, it is worth examining all applications in the ways described above to disable other permissions. For example, SMS reading, access to contacts and call recording can be denied by any app. Thus, you will lose the automatic entry of SMS passwords and other possibilities, but none of the applications will have access to a message with a confirmation code, for example, from the bank.
App Lock
Despite the fact that almost all smartphones in the modern world are protected by a password or biometric data of their owner, additional protection will be useful. Most Android smartphone manufacturers offer built-in utilities with password setting and a security system to access apps. Moreover, in this case, you can set a different password than the one that protects the gadget itself.
For example, in Xiaomi, the “Security” program allows you to set a graphic password, a digital code or a full password of different characters to access the application. This solution is an excellent additional measure to protect the device – it is not a fact that if an attacker learns the password of one smartphone, he will be able to deal with the latter.
There is no such protection on the iPhone, but Apple fans have come up with several more complex schemes with which you can implement a similar function.
For example, using the Shortcuts app, you can create a script to lock your smartphone when you open an app you want to protect. To do this, you need to open the program, create a new automation and select an action – with the application open – start a 1-second timer. It is important to turn off the “Ask before you start” toggle and select the “Finally” – “Stop” action in the “Clock” applet in the “Timer” tab.
Thanks to this scheme, when the selected application is launched, a timer is started for one second, after which the smartphone is blocked. You will need to enter your passcode or unlock your iPhone using Face ID or Touch ID to continue.
remote removal
No one is exempt from losing their smartphone. Android and iOS provide the ability to remotely wipe all files on the device.
Android owners need to go to the site”Google Find device” from the same Google account as on the lost device. Then you need to select it from the list and choose the option “Delete all data on the device”. It is important to note that in this case the smartphone will no longer be shown on the map, because when cleared, your account will be logged out.
To wipe a lost iPhone, you must sign in using the same Apple ID. iCloudGo to Latitude, select the desired device in the Devices section and click Delete this device.
Source: Gazeta
Jackson Ruhl is a tech and sci-fi expert, who writes for “Social Bites”. He brings his readers the latest news and developments from the world of technology and science fiction.