As privacy continues to be a major concern for users of various mobile devices today, iPhone users are not in any way exempt. Data mining and access to personal information have become something that even the most trusted of companies now engage in. While we wait for such a time when there will be adequate legislation that will make this a thing of the past (if that will ever happen), the task of keeping these devices private and safe from prying eyes will remain our complete responsibility.
In this article, we will be looking at ways through which we can make our iPhones as private as possible. Doing this will ensure that most of our information stays private and protected.
We will now quickly list a few tips that will help you make your iPhone completely private. For best results, you may have to combine some of these tips to achieve a much higher level of security.
Stronger Passcode
A lot of us use a simple 4 digit passcodes for our phone’s unlocking code. Rather than using four digits, consider making it more difficult by expanding it to 6 digits. This adds a higher level of complexity to it, making it more difficult for anyone who wants to use brute force to get into your phone.
Use Two-Step Verification
In addition to a more complex passcode, you should also consider making use of two-step verification for both iCloud and Apple IDs.
Erase Data
What if someone gets their hands on your device and intends to get the information it includes? Because there are only 10,000 combinations for a 4-digit code (and many more passcodes start with’ 1′ rather than any other number), it makes sense to minimize the number of chances that a miscreant has to guess your number.
To do this, open the Face / Touch ID & Passcode and make sure that the Erase Data option is on. After 10 unsuccessful passcode efforts, all the information on your computer will be erased.
Disable Lock Screen Notifications
A lot of us allow notifications to show on our phone’s screens even when they are locked. This can allow unauthorized persons gain access to some information that may briefly appear on your phone’s screen even when it is locked.
Make Siri Inaccessible on Lock Screen
If Siri can be activated even with the screen locked, unauthorized persons can activate it with the simple voice command. Disable this so that it is only possible to activate it from an unlocked screen.
Do Not Use Automatic iCloud Sync
Allowing information on your device to sync automatically to iCloud may not be the wisest decision. This is because you could find sensitive and personal items being transferred to the cloud. Remember that these files will remain in the cloud even when you delete them from your phone.
Do Not Use Automatic WiFi Connection
You should ensure your setting only allows for manual connection to WiFi. This ensures that you can cross-check that you are indeed connecting to a genuine and safe network before doing so.
Always use a VPN
You should always try to use a VPN (virtual private network) for iPhone, as this makes it much harder for hackers or surveillance agencies to monitor, track, or intercept your internet traffic.
Your company may provide you with a VPN service, and you should use it. If they don’t provide it, then be sure to search for companies with reputable services, as the VPN service provider actually will have access to all your traffic and many free services cannot be trusted.
