Privacy and Security Apps

With so many cybersecurity hacks and data breaches around the world, people get more concerned about protecting their privacy. People nowadays contain a lot of data into their smartphones like emails, contacts, photos, banking information, messages, and more. The leak of that information might lead to an incredible breach of privacy. But thanks to a wide range of privacy apps, you can now protect the data on your phone. The only problem is that there are so many privacy apps that it becomes difficult to find one. The list mentioned below provides you top 10 security apps, from messengers to secure connections, to give you an idea of what to choose.

1. Express VPN: VPN works by encrypting all the online data you give or take and protects it from surveillance agencies, hackers, and other privacy intrusions. It provides other benefits like unlocking geo-restricted sites like Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, etc. It provides super-strong encryption, robust speed, and a vast server network.
2. Bouncer: This app allows you to remove permission from apps automatically without any effort. It also lets you disallow certain actions of the app that do not seem appropriate. It notifies you of any apps draining your battery fast and also those that sell your information to third parties.
3. Glasswire: Glasswire allows you to see which apps on your phone are using the most data. You also get instant alerts when a new app connects to its servers. It also has an integrated firewall available inside the app. It has many customization features for monitoring and more.
4. Firefox Focus: This app blocks a wide range of common web trackers and advertisements and also improves browsing speed. It takes the press of just one button to remove your browsing history. It is free to download and gives you an untracked browsing experience.
5. Proton Mail: Most email providers do not provide end to end encryption. Proton Mail is a secure alternative to Gmail and other such platforms. It enables you to send password-protected emails and messages that self-destruct after a set time frame.
6. Signal: Although all the messaging apps provide an end-to-end encryption feature, some perform better than others. The Signal app is one of them that focuses more on privacy. It comes with cryptographic protocols that keep your information safe.
7. Sophos: Sophos is an antivirus app that is free for Android. It comes with several features like virus scanning, loss and theft protection, web filtering, and spam blocking. One outstanding feature of this app is that it detects 100% malware.
8. DuckDuck Go: Many search engines sometimes share your data with third parties. You can use DuckDuck Go in place of your default search engine. It does not record any information about what you search for and also hides your location from the sites you visit.
9. Find My Device: This app from Google helps you to locate your Android device when it's lost. It also disabled the entire data of your device if it gets stolen or out of reach.
10. Nox: It is an all-in-one security app that protects your device from malware and other threats. It protects and locks your apps, prevents others from using your notifications, and block spams suspicious calls. It also helps to clean junk files and stop power training apps.

How to protect the privacy of your phone

Follow the steps to protect the personal letter of your device:

• Lock your device: Always lock your device to avoid giving access to unwanted people. You can use a PIN or an alphanumeric password to lock your device. You can also download an additional screen lock app for extra privacy.
• Review google activity: You can minimize Google's data collection by avoiding signing in with your Google account when not necessary. Also, make sure to review your Google activity profile.
• Encrypt the device: You can encrypt your device to protect settings, apps data, and other files. It takes some time to encrypt everything on your phone, so make sure to charge your battery.
• Keep the software up-to-date: It is crucial to keep the software of the device updated to get new features and versions.
• Be aware of third-party apps: Don’t allow the installation of apps that are from unknown sources, and less you know the source. Apps like these can invade your privacy by accessing your data.
• Check the permissions while installing an app: Whenever you are installing an app, see to it that it doesn't request access to sensitive data. Only install the apps that require minimum necessary permissions.
• Review permissions: If you no longer use any app, consider removing or replacing it with the ones that require minimum permissions necessary.
• Sync selected apps: Syncing unnecessary apps can send all your data to the cloud. Consider which apps you want syncing with the cloud to avoid unnecessary access.
• Hide private notifications: Only allow the notifications from the apps that do not affect your privacy.