Step one is to enable biometric security (fingerprint or Face ID). Step two involves making sure all accounts on your phone have passwords that include both letters and numbers. Read the full guide at this website.
Passcode lock
Passcode locks are one of the easiest and simplest ways to secure your smartphone. They may not prevent quick-grab robberies or illegal reselling of the device, but they will keep your private messages and mobile banking information safe.
Use a passcode to lock your phone as this requires entering a series of numbers or characters that is more difficult to crack than a simple four-digit PIN code. Select at least eight characters including letters, numbers and special characters without creating words or phrases associated with you that could easily be cracked by others.
Some devices feature a connect-the-dots swipe pattern as an alternative to PIN and password entry, though it's easy to decipher these patterns if someone is peeking over your shoulder while using your phone in public. Certain phones also allow you to set how many attempts an attacker may attempt before being blocked from further attempts at guessing it and eventually locking out forever.
Backups
As much as smartphones can be beneficial tools for work and play, they're still susceptible to attacks that target software vulnerabilities. Like computers, smartphones should remain up-to-date with their software versions so if a flaw in its operating software is discovered quickly fixed through installing an update.
Backups are a vital element of smartphone security and should be done regularly. While many owners opt for third-party solutions like Dropbox or an inbuilt solution in most phones that's free and doesn't impact storage space usage.
On most Android phones, device backup is integrated with Google Drive (the name may differ depending on your phone manufacturer - Samsung devices might use "My Drive"). Simply toggle this service on by tapping to enable backup; your data such as address book entries, calendar entries, SMS messages, files and photos, Wi-Fi networks settings etc will then be safely saved on a new phone! When switching devices in future all your information will still be there!
Two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication adds another layer of protection for your smartphone. It requires two separate verification factors in addition to your password - for instance a text message sent directly to the user or an authenticator app which sends one-time passcodes - providing your account against hackers who might gain access to it.
SMS is often chosen for two-factor authentication due to its affordability and ease of use; however, experts do not consider SMS secure due to threats such as mobile phone cloning, attacks on cell network infrastructures, malware that intercepts text messages etc.
Time-based one-time password (TOTP), which generates random numbers locally on the device, provides greater security as users don't rely on third parties such as SMS for verification. Government agencies and universities frequently implement TOTP as an effective security measure.
Data encryption
As mobile devices store and send ever more sensitive information, hackers have increasingly turned their focus toward them as potential targets. Data encryption algorithms scramble plaintext information so only someone with the appropriate password or key can decrypt it; this approach has proved especially effective at safeguarding business phone records, protecting company files from digital attacks and maintaining data integrity.
Apple requires that all iOS devices ship equipped with device-level encryption by default. Each iPhone uses a 256-bit encryption key, generated via user passcode, PIN or recovery contact upon reboot and stored securely in its Secure Enclave chip which also holds fingerprint data and Apple Pay credit card info.
Law enforcement officials want a back door into all smartphones and tablets with strong encryption, but experts warn even if such a solution was exclusively created for law-enforcement use, hackers, criminals, or repressive governments could eventually find it. Furthermore, robust encryption may cause apps to run more slowly.
