10 ways to protect your Android smartphone from hackers

Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. We use them for shopping, ordering food, booking cabs and movie tickets, making payments and whatnot. That said, we store a lot of confidential information, such as passwords and credit card details, on our smartphones.

1. Use a PIN/password on the lockscreen
Always use a PIN or a password to protect your smartphone. Adding this security layer to your smartphone can help a lot. And if you are someone who has a hard time remembering passwords, you can go for a pattern lock instead.

2. Lock apps on your device
Only using a password isn’t always enough. You should lock individual apps (especially those like mobile wallets and online shopping) with passwords as well. There are plenty of ways to go about it. For instance, certain smartphones come with the built-in app locking functionality.
Some apps like Paytm also include built-in locking features. Lastly, there are numerous third-party security apps available on the Google Play Store that you can use to lock individual apps.

3. Download apps from trusted sources
Download apps only from trusted sources such as the Google Play Store. Also, don't forget to check ratings and reviews of an app before hitting the download button. Checking the privacy policy of the app you are downloading is a must as well.

4. Read app permissions before downloading an app
This is another important step to keep in mind. When downloading an app from the Google Play Store, make sure you read the complete information about all the data it will have access to, once downloaded. For example, if a payment app has access to your phone’s camera, you obviously know that it isn’t required.

5. Google Authenticator is a must have
You can bank on Google Authenticator to add an extra layer of security to your accounts. It is Google’s app to enable two-factor authentication. The app makes it easy to get time-bound authentication codes for logging into accounts for which you have two-factor authentication enabled. What’s best about Google Authenticator is that it works offline, and even for some non-Google services.

6. Download an Antivirus app
Sounds very obvious, but it is a critical step to follow, considering the kind of important information our devices have. So don't forget to install an antivirus app.

7. Avoid using public Wi-Fi
Always avoid using public Wi-Fi networks if you can. You can never be sure if they are 100% safe. Also, make sure your phone doesn’t automatically connect to Wi-Fi networks when in their range. Always keep Wi-Fi switched off when it’s not required.

8. Keep your operating system up-to-date
update is ready, download and install it. Many hackers take advantage of vulnerabilities in out-of-date operating systems. Updates patch these holes and make your phone more secure

9. Never root your device
No matter how tempted you may feel, don’t root your smartphone. While rooting has its benefits, it also makes your smartphone vulnerable to malware and other such attacks.

10. Don't open suspicious emails
Merely clicking the link can give the sender a backdoor into your personal information. Delete the message immediately if you don't recognize the sender. If you do recognize them, hover over their name to make sure the email is legit. Webmail providers like Gmail will show you the sender's name and email address.