iPhone 5 Security Tips
The data stored on your iPhone 5 makes you an easy target for identity theft. Thieves can find everything from financial information to email accounts to pictures of deposited checks on your iPhone's memory. Don't let data theft happen to you. Keep your iPhone 5 secure with these steps.
1. Secure your iPhone 5 with a password.
Annoying? Maybe. But entering a password every time you use your iPhone can save you from people who don't know how to mind their own business or accidental purchases made by your kid, as well as more deliberate attempts to steal your personal information.
With a passcode in place, no one can snoop through your photos, read old text messages, or download apps without your permission. You wouldn't leave your diary lying open on the coffee table, would you? Don't leave your iPhone available for anyone to snoop through either.
2. Install "Find My iPhone."
One of the first apps you should download on your new iPhone 5 is "Find My iPhone." It's a free app that comes in handy if you lose your iPhone or if someone steals it. You can use the app to locate the missing device on a map, play a sound so that you can find your iPhone under a pile of dirty laundry, erase all of the data on your phone, remotely lock the device, or enable "Lost Mode" to display a contact number on the locked screen.
Assuming you've set up an iCloud account and enabled the Find My iPhone app in your iCloud settings, you'll never have to worry about losing your phone again.
3. Protect your financial information.
With iWallet preloaded on the iPhone 5, you'll need to set up passwords for Apple's new suite of banking and financial apps. Create unique, secure passwords that are longer than four digits and include both numbers and letters. Don't click the "Remember me" button when you log in to a financial website. Although it might be convenient, it leaves your iPhone wide open to hackers.
If you can't remember all your passwords, download an encrypted lockbox to store all your passwords.
Delete pictures of checks that you deposited as soon as the deposit goes through, and set up automatic notifications for your bank account by both text and email so that you can crack down on suspicious transactions immediately.
4. Use a secure browser.
If you're tempted to surf the web using free Wi-Fi at a coffee shop, think again. Open wireless networks are a free-for-all for hackers. Never expose your personal information by logging into your bank account or social media account while using an unsecured network.
Only use Wi-Fi networks that require you to enter a password. Also, turn off your Bluetooth when you're not using it, since Bluetooth is vulnerable to hackers as well.
5. Get theft protection with an iPhone 5 case.
Most iPhone 5 security suggestions involve digital security, but a physical case can give you theft protection as well. The iPhone 5 case by PQ looks just like a moleskine notebook when shut—so much so that no one would suspect that it actually holds a valuable electronic device! A case for iPhone 5 is a simple, inexpensive way to keep your iPhone secure from potential thieves or just from the average busybody who happens to be your office mate.
Cases for iPhone 5
Get practical theft protection for your smartphone with a leather iPhone case from Pad & Quill. Choose from the Little Pocket Book, Little Black Book, or WoodChuck's wood case for iPhone 5.
