Mobile phones are ubiquitous in our tech-savvy world, meaning that you are bound to find more people with a mobile phone than a house telephone. With this in mind, there are many privacy and security risks that mobile phone users could encounter, especially as hackers are increasingly targeting not only computers, but also devices like phones and tablets.
One way to counteract such privacy concerns is to encrypt your phone. If you’re wondering, “What is phone encryption?” and “Is encrypting your phone worth it?”, then you’ve come to the right place.
Keep reading to find out exactly what cell phone encryption is and the benefits that come with it.
What Does It Mean to Encrypt My Phone?
The meaning of an encrypted phone is simpler than it may seem – in essence, an encrypted phone refers to a mobile phone of which all data has been ‘locked’, protecting files and data from unauthorized access.
As a result, you can expect data, such as the following, to be kept safe:
- Addresses
- Personal information
- Card information
- Contacts
- Photos and videos
- Passwords
- And more…
Encryption jumbles up this data, making it a tangle of information that is indecipherable. To decipher the messages, a password, PIN, or other authentication method will need to be used to verify you as the owner of the phone and its data.
Should I Encrypt My Phone?
Now that you understand what an encrypted phone is, you might be wondering whether encrypting your phone is a good idea. There are numerous benefits to phone encryption (more on this later), but it is ideal if you want to:
- Prevent cybercriminals from accessing your data
- Protect your data should you lose your phone
It adds an extra layer of security that could be the difference between having your personal information stolen and protecting your data against cybercriminals.
So, if you’re thinking of whether you should encrypt your Android or Apple phone, the answer is: Definitely think about it.
What Should I Do If My Phone is Already Compromised?
If your phone has already been infected with malware before you could encrypt your data, iolo’s Premium Services can help! With 24/7 live chat, including technical support, we can help you effectively rid your phone of any malware and guide you through how you can encrypt your data!
Benefits of Encrypting Your Phone
If you’re still undecided about phone encryption, it might be worthwhile to note that it comes with a number of benefits that you could take advantage of.
Here are several compelling reasons why you should encrypt your phone:
Avoid Data Theft
Think about how much data we input and transmit on our phones – contacts (phone numbers), addresses, credit card information, and other personal tidbits of data that could be stolen and exploited.
This makes us vulnerable to data theft, which could lead to identity and/or credit card fraud. Take this burden off of your shoulders when you choose to encrypt your data – cybercriminals will struggle with decoding your information, making this a key benefit of encrypting phones.
Safeguard Your Photos and Videos
Without encryption, your personal photos and videos could be in the hands of cybercriminals who might threaten to expose sensitive photos or videos, blackmailing you for money or other.
Keep in mind that encryption doesn’t protect you from catfishes on networking apps, but it can protect your photos and videos from being accessed.
Files Can Still Be Recovered After a Factory Reset
You might think that a factory reset will be your savior in removing all of your files should you switch phones, but this isn’t always the case. Criminals still find ways to restore files even after a reset, meaning that your files aren’t always lost forever.
By encrypting your data before resetting your phone, any data that is recovered will be already encrypted, making it virtually impossible for others to use the recovered data against you.
Protect Your Devices with iolo
Understanding what an encrypted phone means is great, but knowing how you can protect your phone (or other device) is key. Taking note of the above benefits, it’s clear that phone encryption is useful as a security measure against cyber threats.
The addition of iolo’s Premium Services can assist with increasing the security of your phone, offering around-the-clock live US support for encryption and malware removal. Visit the iolo website today for our full range of products and solutions!
