Are you feeling worried about mobile privacy and safety? That’s a good start! Because most people don’t think about it at all.
People know that security is an essential part of using technology. Which is why most take varying precautions when it comes to online safety. Much of the time, this is limited to an antivirus program on their PC and pretty much nothing else. So far, this has worked out fine for plenty of people. But it won’t stay that way forever.
What’s even worse, the vast majority of people really don’t think of installing security software on their mobile phones. Which is strange considering how much time people are spending on these pocket devices. Just think about how much information is shared with a mobile phone – personal photos, location, schedules, contacts, and credit card information. Mobile phones are attractive targets, and Android phones aren’t always that secure.
That’s why this list exists. Because mobile cybersecurity is becoming an important topic thanks to humanity’s ever-increasing drive to integrate technology with their lives.
The list below doesn’t contain any anti-virus apps because there are dozens of other blog posts out there filled with them. Instead, every effort was taken to make sure this list holds value to the everyday consumer. So have a look.
5 Security Apps for the Everyday Consumer
1. Bouncer
Apps are a popular way for cybercriminals to get access to a mobile phone, and to install malware or gather data. Not all of this is done with app permissions, but without them, most apps can’t do very much. Sometimes this is a good thing. Because even if the app itself isn’t dangerous, the data it gathers could be if the company that created it gets hacked.
Bouncer takes care of this by restricting app permissions and letting the user to allow them for short periods of time. So if someone wants to use the GPS but doesn’t want their location tracked all the time, this is the way to do it.
Price: $0.99
2. A VPN
What does a VPN do, exactly? Well, for those who haven’t caught onto this trend yet, here’s the low-down. A virtual private network keeps a device’s connection private and secure through two main methods. The first is encryption of all outgoing and incoming data. The second is part of how a VPN works.
3. Secure Call
This app uses end-to-end encryption techniques to make sure calls stay private. It uses peer to peer architecture to prevent anyone from listening in on a call, even the Secure Call developers themselves. Secure Call integrates with any default phone call app, so there’s no need to replace the existing one.
Price: Monthly subscription
4. Resilio Sync
Want personal cloud storage but don’t trust online cloud storage? Then this is the perfect app. It turns a personal computer into a cloud storage device and saves data from synced mobile devices. This way, the user knows exactly where their sensitive files are and that no one else has access to them.
Price: Free
5. AppLock
Unlike a phone lock, App Lock only blocks access to certain apps instead of the whole phone. The owner can choose which apps they want to lock and set up a password for those. This is also great for parents or friends who you might want to give access to certain apps but prevent from opening others.
Price: Varied
Final Thoughts
Mobile phone security is becoming a major issue thanks to billions of people connecting every day. Which makes them vulnerable targets of cybercriminals. Therefore, stay ahead of the curve and put privacy first with these handy apps.