You just got a new iPhone. Congrats. But, before you start asking Siri what her favorite animal is, let’s make sure no one else can hear her answer.
This article will give you some easy things you can do to improve your iPhone’s security and fend off hackers.
Install The Latest Updates
Apple has a very strong security stance. Most of their updates contain little features or tweaks that will improve the overall security of your iPhone. Running on older versions of iOS leaves you open to vulnerabilities.
Installing updates is very simple. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. There, you can check whether you’re running the latest version of iOS. If you aren’t, you will see an option to update. You should also enable Automatic Updates while you’re there.
Download a VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) establishes a virtual connection between the network and its users, filtering all incoming and outgoing traffic to your device. By doing so, it encrypts your data, protecting your online activity and identity while hiding your IP address.
VPNs are particularly useful when using public WiFi, which is often unencrypted. The VPN will encrypt all your communication with the network, keeping your activity away from hackers.
Use Face or Touch ID
If your iPhone is from 2015 or later, it will have either Touch ID or Face ID. These features allow for a quick and secure way to unlock your iPhone. They are particularly useful in preventing unauthorized access. They’re also very convenient for signing up or authorizing app installs.
Navigate to Settings > Face ID (Touch ID for older models and the iPhone SE) & Passcode to enable this feature.
Use Hide My Email
Hide My Email is a neat new security feature Apple introduced in the latest versions of iOS. The feature is built into other sign-in features like Face or Touch ID. By selecting “Hide My Email” when signing up for a service or installing an app, your real email will stay private. Instead, a random email will be generated that will forward all communication between you and the service to your actual email.
So, instead of sharing your actual email with apps and services you sign up for, you get to keep your email private without sacrificing anything. “Hide My Email” can significantly reduce the frequency of phishing and other email-related cyberattacks.
Decline App Tracking
All new apps you install will ask for permission to track your activity across other apps and websites. While allowing tracking can slightly personalize your experience, there are also some downsides.
The main downside is that your data is now subject to being sold to data brokers. From there, you never know who will get access to your data and what intentions they have. It’s best to disable tracking or at least limit it.
Conclusion
iPhones are generally very safe from cyber threats. However, there are a few things you can do to bolster security even more. By installing the latest updates, you will have all the latest security features. Some of these features include Face (and Touch) ID and “Hide My Email.”
