Because the Android OS is open source, its security isn't as strong as that of iOS and Windows OS. For this reason the security of your Android phone mustn't be taken with levity; the bad boys are everywhere and are always ready to take advantage of your slack. And in order not to slack, you need to know how to secure your Android phone from hackers.

When I say hackers, I'm not only talking about the bad boys wearing geeky glasses, sitting in front of a computer and trying to break into your Android phone, from a remote location; I'm also talking about physical hackers, the people that invade your phone and try to snoop your messages and other personal data.

There is no limit to what these two types of hackers can do to your data, if they break into your Android phone; so how do you secure your Android phone from these hackers?

This is exactly what I will be talking about in the post: I will be talking about how to secure your Android phone from online hackers, the geeky guys in remote location, and offline hackers.

How to Secure Your Android Phone From Offline Hackers

• Use Screen lock: Nowadays Android phones come with default screen-lock security, in form of PIN, password and pattern. It is foolproof to use either of the screen-lock method to secure your Android phone, so that if your phone mistakenly gets into a wrong hand, the wrong hand would be rendered useless as your screen is locked.

Now that fingerprint scanner also comes with middle-range and high-end Android phones, if your phone has this feature, please use it. It is faster and more secured than PIN, password and pattern.

The only downside of using screen lock is that your will need to unlock your phone every time the screen light goes off. This isn't really a big problem for most people, but if it is to you, the automatic unlock feature of the Android OS can help you automatically unlock your phone at pre-set conditions.

With the automatic unlock feature you can set your phone to automatically unlock on detection of your body, on hearing your voice, when in a place (like in your office or home), and when near a device. Using the automatic unlock rule with the screen lock feature will help to secure your android phone from hackers and spies.

The automatic unlock feature is under Security Settings in your Android phone. To use it, you have to enable Trust Agents on your Android phone and set the Smart Lock, which commands the phone to automatically unlock using pre-set rules. Auto-unlock only works on Android 5.0 and above.

• Encrypt Your Phone Data: With data encryption, your Android phone and its data are secured, even if stolen. Encryption helps to turn data into an unreadable form for someone that doesn't have the encryption key.

If you have confidential information in your email, note, message and gallery, encrypting them is a wise decision; if you are the very security-conscious type, you can even go ahead and encrypt the whole of your Android phone, but try as much as possible not to forget your encryption key because if you forget the key, all the data in the phone are gone for life.

• Be Wary of Applications From Third-Party Stores: Google Play is the home of Android applications, and it is safe to get all your Android games and applications from the store. Some OEMs also have follow-come app store, and it is as well safe to download from it.

But when you are downloading from a site or a third-party app store, to secure your Android phone from hackers, make sure the app is verified before installation. To do this just make sure the Verify Apps feature, under Device Administrator on your phone is ticked.

By that, all applications you are installing on your phone will be scanned and you will be notified if there are suspicious contents in the app code, and all you must do is not install the application again.

• Don't Root Your Phone, Unless You Know What You Are Doing: Yes, it is true, you aren't the owner of your Android phone until you root it! Rooting your phone gives you unrestricted access to it, but this access can make you damage the phone, especially if you are not an experienced user with Android root.

When I got my first Android phone Tecno N3 some years ago, I rooted it in order to access the root and use part of the memory card to boost its 512RAM. In the process, I fiddled with the phone’s launcher, and the phone never launched to home screen again. I was inexperienced with Android root then, but thanks to the folks at Tecno calcare, who helped fix it.

Aside the fact that root can make you do bad fiddling to your Android phone, it also makes your phone 100% insecure. If your phone is unrooted and you mistakenly install a malware, the malware will only cause as little damage as possible; but If the phone is rooted, there is no limit to the damage the malware can cause.

A rooted Andriod phone plus apps from untrusted third party store are a NO NO, if you want to secure your Android phone from hackers.

How to Secure Your Android Phone From Online Hackers

• Enable two-step authentication for your Google account: Your Google account is the key to all the Google products you use, including your phone. To ensure the security of your Android phone and other Google products you access through your phone, enable two-step authentication for your Google account.

Two-step authentication adds extra layer of security to your account. After entering your username and password, while trying to login, a code will be sent to your phone to verify you are the owner of the account.

The hackers will need to steal your phone to get the code, and since stealing hardware isn’t a hacker speciality, your online account is safe -- hackers only steal electronic data.

• Be careful with clicking Ads and Links: Nowadays, Ads are like MTN -- we see them everywhere we go, online. Generally Ads by Google, Facebook, Twitter and the other social media are safe, but when you see an ad that comes as a pop-up banner or an ad that automatically opens new windows or tab on your browser, that's a red flag.

Another most common hacking attempt on Android phone is a page claiming your phone is infected and asking you to perform an action. When you see such page, ignoring the message and closing the page is the way to secure your Android phone from the hacking attempt.

In truth, it is the page itself that is trying to infect you.

As for emails, never click on any email sent to you by someone you don’t know.

• Use VPN: The importance of VPN in securing your Android phone from hackers and spies can't be overemphasized. VPN helps to tunnel browsers through a different location other than the default location and IP of the ISP, and then securing the connection.

With the prevalence of free public WiFi in Nigeria, you have to be conscious of the free WiFi you are connecting to. Free public WiFi providers could manipulate your device and collect confidential data from your phone; so connecting through a strong VPN will help shield you.

As a rule of thumb, never do online bank transfer and online payment with free public WiFi.

There are lot of VPNs in PlayStore, download a good one and enable it to secure your connection.

Securing your Android phone from offline and online hackers may be tasking and requiring extra care and attention to what you do on your phone, but in the long run and in the end, you will always have a peace of mind that your digital property is secured.

Source: https://www.techrabytes.com/how-secure-your-android-phone-hackers/

best way is to flash "custom rom" , install "adaway" and "magisk manager".
Tank me later

ellagabs:
best way is to flash "custom rom" , install "adaway" and "magisk manager".
Tank me later

Installing custom ROM has its advantages, but when speaking of security of the Android OS, it is at great disadvantage.

tunisbaba:

Installing custom ROM has its advantages, but when speaking of security of the Android OS, it is at great disadvantage.

Sir, open source OS has mor strong and complex security wen compare to Close source OS.

Reason is:
since its open, difernt vendor wil modify dia security area / kernel, unlike windows when you discover a flaw or loopHole on ur windows version, that same exploit can be use on any other vendor runing that same windows.

Example:
if u kn hw to jail break a version of android on (lets say lollipop) on a tecno phone, u cnt use that same exploit on a HTC phone running same lollipop.

Android is not secure and I don't think you can save your phone from hackers so easily. I have seen many SPY apps like these https://bestforandroid.com/spy-apps-android/ which can work remotely and don't leave any sign in the phone which may cause detection.
If you want security then Go for iOS. iOS is much more safe and secure.

Be Wary of Applications From Third-Party Stores

This is basically the most important thing you can do, in order to avoid any issues, if you ask me!

Be Wary of Applications From Third-Party Stores

This is pretty much the most important thing you can do, in order to avoid issues, if you ask me!

I prefer to use on screen lock to secure my phone. what do you use? I also use this https://www.bdtechsupport.com/2019/12/avast-mobile-security-pro-apk-full-version.html .