To a greater or lesser degree, the truth is that we are all concerned about the security of our iPhone. Or at least it should. While it is true that Apple ensures the integrity of these devices, it never hurts to be clear about a series of premises that will make the equipment even more secure. Precisely in this post we tell you how you can keep your data safe and prevent your iPhone from malware.
Settings you should always have configured
In the following sections we review what are considered essential settings that must be established to keep an iPhone safe. In fact, you probably already have these settings, but just in case, we recommend checking it out.
Sign in with your Apple ID
Having an Apple account on the iPhone is essential to download apps, have applications synced in iCloud and more. However, in relation to security, it is also relevant that you are logged in, as this will make it essential to know your password to be able to perform certain operations on the iPhone. You can even block it remotely if it’s lost or stolen.
You can check if you have signed in with your Apple ID by going into Settings. At the top, when you open this panel, the possibility of logging in will appear if you have not started it. In the event that your name and photo appear, it is certain that you have logged in, so in this sense you can rest easy.
Set the best security code
Creating a more secure security code (worth the redundancy) is also essential to ensure that your iPhone can be more secure. In fact, it will be essential if you want to add a face or fingerprint later using Face ID or Touch ID. And how to make it more secure? Well, you have two options: it has 6 digits or it is an alphanumeric password .
You can change all this from Settings> Face ID / Touch ID and code. In this section you must press “Change code” and then the corresponding options to establish a new code will appear on the screen. It is also recommended that you make sure of the options marked regarding when the code will be requested, as this will also make it more secure.
Configure the biometric sensor
Whether it’s Touch ID on iPhones that have a Home button or Face ID on the most recent ones, it is essential that you have one of these configured to have more comfort when performing processes such as unlocking the device or making payments through Apple Pay. Although beyond this, it also provides a certain level of security to the device.
Going into Settings> Face ID / Touch ID and code, you can configure a face or fingerprint that will be stored only on the iPhone. That is to say, it will not be uploaded to Apple’s servers and therefore security is gained. It is even possible to configure more than one face or fingerprint, but we recommend that if you allow another person to be added, make sure that they are trusted.
Enable two-factor authentication
In the end, beyond long codes and other settings, if there is something that makes an iPhone or any other device or digital tool more secure, it is the fact of having a double verification. In Apple environment there is this security method that will require the introduction of a random 6-digit code to access your Apple ID.
This code is sent to another device where you have logged in with the same Apple ID or, failing that, by SMS or phone call to the number you have chosen. To do this you must go to Settings> your name> Password and security, and then click on “Activate two-factor authentication”. Once you are there, you must choose a trusted phone number (it can be yours) where the code will arrive if you do not have other Apple devices available at the time of sending the code.
Other settings that will improve your privacy
There are other settings that, to another degree, also serve to improve both your security and especially privacy. These are also essential, although not configuring them will not really affect whether your iPhone can leave any vulnerability open.
Don’t install untrustworthy profiles
Traditionally the most popular profiles in the iOS environment are those of beta testers. These allow the iPhone with such a profile to receive beta updates for the following versions of iOS software. However, there are other profiles not developed by Apple and that can also be installed on the device.
The most common are those that serve to track the use you make of the device for a specific purpose that does not always have to be negative. For example, if you participate in a market study of some kind, they might require it. And we insist that it is not necessarily bad, but in the end it may affect your privacy.
Taking into account that there are also other profiles of doubtful origin such as those that promise to be able to install certain tools that are not available in iOS in a normal way, the most prudent thing is not to install any. And if you are determined to do so, we always advise you to read the conditions carefully to be sure of the purposes of said profile. And if you already have one installed, just go to Settings> General> Profiles and delete it if you wish.
If you don’t want them to see your notifications
That the person next to you on public transport or even the rest of the inhabitants of your house can see your notifications can be the least controversial. It is fully understandable that if you receive a certain message or similar it is something private and even if you have a security code configured, anyone else could see it even when the iPhone is locked.
To change this you must go to Settings> Notifications and enter the respective settings for each application. Specifically, you should look at “Show previews” and choose “Never” or “If it is unlocked”. If you select the first one, you will not see any preview, while with the other option you will make it appear on the lock screen that you have a notification from said app, but its content is not displayed unless the iPhone is unlocked.
Sign in with Apple
Known by its English name “Sign in with Apple”, this is a system introduced by Apple in 2018 and that allows you to log in to some websites or applications safely through its security standard. Surely on some occasion you have seen a tool that allows you to log in with Google or Facebook and it works in a similar way.
What Apple does is create a random email account, which is associated with your original email, but encrypted in such a way that they have no possibility of linking said account to yours and thus avoid tracking, sending spam not allowed and even selling your personal data to third parties.
Your use of the iPhone is also important
In the end, beyond adjustments, an essential requirement is to make good use of the device and always try to prioritize common sense. In the following sections we end by telling you what are the aspects that you should always keep in mind to avoid major problems.
Regarding updates
Although updating the iPhone does not stop being something related to the settings in the end, since in fact it is done from Settings> General> Software update, the truth is that it is something that in the end depends on you completely. It is understandable that many times when a new update comes out, it is not possible for you to update or you do not feel like it because it requires a certain installation time in which you will not be able to use the device.
And, apart from functional or aesthetic novelties, iOS updates always bring important security patches that prevent the device from possible malware. This is where the fact of always having the latest version of software available gains brutal importance, so if you want to be cautious, it is advisable that as far as possible you always update the iPhone when new versions come out.
Always browse safely
This is another of the fundamental aspects that we can attribute to common sense and that is that surfing the internet safely depends on ourselves on many occasions. Always try to access secure websites whose url precedes “https” (the “s” is the acronym for “secure”). If at any time you get a warning that the site is not secure, do not ignore the message and do not try to enter the web unless you are one hundred percent sure that it is reliable.
As far as browser is concerned, there are many and all those that are in the App Store can be valid. However, Safari is one of those that guarantees greater security on the iPhone because it is native and that includes security patches with each update as we mentioned previously, in addition to being one of the fastest in the iOS environment.
Beware of phishing
Phishing is known as a series of increasingly common techniques in which cybercriminals try to impersonate an identity, whether of a person or company. While it is true that there are tactics that are very poorly done, there are also those so sophisticated that they could perfectly deceive you.
The most common is to find e-mails appearing to be a company (usually banks), whose messages usually say that the account has been blocked or similar and ask to enter personal and payment data to unblock it. We also see similar issues with messaging companies and even Apple itself.
As we say, there are cases in which it is evident that it is a scam, but in the cases that generate more doubts it is important to be vigilant. You must be clear that no bank or Apple itself will contact you in this way if there is a problem with your account, much less would it make you enter your data that way. Do not trust the domain of said mail either, since sometimes it is masked and can give the impression that it is issued by an official entity. When in doubt, always contact said company to make sure and above all do not enter the links that refer you.
