If you’re accessing the internet using a modern smartphone, then you’ll be faced with a whole range of security threats: from nefarious hackers who might spoof a Wi-Fi network in order to intercept your data, to malicious nation states who might seek to blackmail you with your browsing history.
Modern smartphones, however, come with a range of sophisticated security features, which help users to browse with confidence. Since Apple has decided to pull Advanced Data Protection from the UK, this range is slightly more limited than it otherwise might have been. Still, it’s worth making yourself aware of what’s on offer.
Enable Strong Authentication Methods
If you authenticate yourself using a password (something that you know), then you’ll be less secure than you would be if you’d used biometric data (something that you are) – or even a combination of these factors. Apple offers Face ID and Touch ID technologies, which secure your phone using biometric markers unique to you.
Be Cautious with Public Wi-Fi and Use a VPN
Unsecured public Wi-Fi can provide hackers with a means of intercepting your data. After all, every password and request you submit will be diverted through a local router in whatever cafe, airport, or bar you’re sitting in, which creates an opportunity for that data to be intercepted.
Of course, there’s a good way to stop this from happening, and that’s to install a reputable VPN. This will encrypt the data you send, protecting you both from local threats, and from overzealous government agencies – both foreign and domestic. You can install a VPN for iPhone, and have it activate at the touch of a button.
Activate Stolen Device Protection
With the release of iOS 17.3 in January 2024, Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection. This feature amps up the security on your phone, requiring that Face ID and Touch ID be used before system-critical changes are made to the device. In practice, this makes it more difficult for thieves to clear the phone before selling it on – which in effect drives down the likelihood of it being stolen in the first place.
Regularly Update Your iPhone
iPhones are like any other modern computer. They come loaded with imperfect software, that must be updated regularly to address any security vulnerabilities. You can set your iPhone to update automatically, or navigate to Settings > General > Software Update to install a patch manually.