Category: Technology

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Cookies are tiny data files used by websites to track our browsing and improve our online experience. Cookies are largely innocuous, but they can present privacy challenges you may wish to avoid. Every time a web browser is opened, cookies are stored on your PC, Mac, or mobile. Your computer connects to a server on the other end – that server reads the cookie file.

These data files make it easy for you to log in to frequently-used websites without having to input username and password combinations every single time. These are known as authentication cookies. There are many positive use cases for cookies, notably e-commerce activity where customers book flights, purchase products, or identify their computer on a network.

There are different sets of cookies, including HTTP cookies which identify unique users to improve your web experience. This server creates the data in the cookie once you connect. First, a unique ID number is allocated to your computer, which the server reads and understands.

But, cookies are not always beneficial…

Recall the HTTP cookie mentioned earlier? Bad actors can use this cookie to spy on you. That’s why you may wish to delete cookies from your browser. Browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari use cookies to track your session activity and personalize your online experience. These cookies are easily identified by name-value pairs and read accordingly. All cookies are stored locally in your browser. That’s how the name-value pair is remembered.

When you revisit a website, the browser returns the name-value pair to the server in a cookie format. Essentially, you are sending a packet of data between your computer and the server. It can be personal account information, browsing history, or items in your shopping cart. A cookie from the website you’re visiting is provided and stored in your browser. Your cookie is transmitted to the website by your browser. It features a unique ID that is specific to you.

What are the dangers associated with cookies?

Cookies can track your activity online. Every time you visit the website, you may also get tracking cookies from advertisers. These are known as third-party cookies, and you certainly don’t need them tracking your browsing activity. Instead, think of a cookie as a GPS with a history. It watches everything you’re doing online – visiting websites, unique identifiers, and other private information.

If you don’t want session cookies and persistent cookies monitoring your activity, you can delete cookies at any time. Mozilla Firefox currently blocks them, and Google Chrome is expected to get rid of them in the next few years altogether.

Whether you’re running Safari on iOS, macOS, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Firefox iOS, or even Firefox on Android, you can quickly delete cookies. We have to clarify a few important points about cookies. Cookies in and of themselves are not dangerous. However, cyberattacks have occurred with cookies having been hijacked.

This provides hackers with access to your browsing activity. So naturally, first-party cookies are safer than third-party cookies. But the third class of cookies is worse than the last two – they’re called zombie cookies. Hackers can use them to track your unique browsing history, and they are challenging to remove from your browser.

How to delete cookies from your browser?

Cookies aren’t mandatory – they are optional. They are designed to make your browsing experience easier by remembering important information when you revisit websites. Think of email logins, bank account logins, your Amazon shopping cart, et cetera. However, if convenience is less important than security, you can easily delete cookies in a number of ways.

On your browser, navigate to settings and seek out the privacy function. You can uncheck boxes that allow cookies or local data. Each browser is different. You’re already familiar with your own browser’s features and functions, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to navigate to the settings and privacy sections to delete cookies from your browser. There are several browsers and many different ways to remove cookies.

Google Chrome

You can quickly delete cookies on Chrome or on any browser. According to Statcounter, Google Chrome enjoys 64.34% of global usage, followed by Safari at 19.16%, Microsoft Edge at 4.05%, and Firefox at 3.41% (April 2022). For Google Chrome, it’s a matter of clicking the three dots on the top right corner of your browser.

Next, click on more tools and then clear your browsing data. From the Omnibox, type in chrome://settings/content/cookies, then choose Privacy and security controls. It’s best to block all cookies but add websites you frequently visit.

Mozilla Firefox

Look for these stacked horizontal lines – Hamburger icon – on the top right corner of your screen. Next, click on Settings, Privacy & Security. Scroll down the page until you reach Cookies and Site Data. Check the box delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed. You can manage exceptions by adding in the address of the websites you want to allow for your browsing sessions.

That’s how to manage cookies on your browser. It’s easy to delete cookies when you follow all the steps.

The earth, our lovely home planet, is surfaced with more than 510 million kilometers square of oceans, forests, cities, and deserts. But the common fact about all of them is that our friends can be inside any of these locations!!!

As iPhone users, the company let us track our buddies with the super application “Find My Friends,” but even this tool can make us angry with the boring message, which is “no location found.” So, what does no location found mean on our devices? By reading this post, you will be amused by getting the answers to these questions;

• What does no location found mean
• The main differences between the “no location found” and “location not found” error messages
• How to fix no location found on our device

What does no location found mean?

Location is a parameter by which your friends –and sometimes, your enemies- can measure their distance from you and, if they decide, to help approach you in a direct way. This is the feature the iOS-based “Find My” application uses to make iPhone users closer. However, since any electronic device or tool can be stopped or deteriorate the situation for no known reason, you may get confused by seeing a “no location found” message on your phone.

What does it mean when it says no location found on iPhone? The most straightforward answer will be “a software glitch in the application,” which we will look at in more detail in the following sections. Though, it can be something deeper –like a structural problem in your phone or devaluation of your iPhone ID- which are so rare to happen.

Why does it say no location found?

Many reasons can be reckoned according to the appearance of “no location found,” as you see here;

1. The time and date of your phone are wrong

Inaccurate internal date and time can cause trouble in the process of being located, as they have a significant role in recognizing your device by the servers and getting the confirmation that it is not a fake, troublesome ID.

2. No Internet connection

Both iMessages and “Find My Friends” require a level of excellent internet strength to do their tasks, so no internet connection or a weak version of it can contribute to seeing the mentioned error message on your screen.

3. Your target people have stopped sharing their location while you are checking

I know it is more related to chance rather than an error, but that is it. Stop sharing the location of your friends means they are no anymore under the radar, so let’s try it at a different time.

4. Your friends are not still signed in to “Find My Friends.”

The next reason will be your target guys being a step behind; they haven’t signed in to “Find My Friends.” Since “Find My” is an app that people need to download and log into it, if your friends have not signed in to the Find my app, they will not appear on the app.

5. They have no signal

Never blame yourself when the culprit is somewhere else. As you know, communication is a two-way phenomenon, so both sides need to be in a sufficient condition to make a good connection route. In some cases, this is your “friend” who is not potentially recognizable.

6. Their phone is off, out of battery, or on Airplane Mode

Not all conditions are under our control. Phones sometimes need to sleep, get out of energy, or fly overseas. They are not ready to accept your request to connect in all of these situations.

7. A problem or glitch in “your” or “your friends'” iMessages or Find My Friends

The iMessages and “Find My Friends” platforms are developed to help you check where your friends are. If they are signed in to the app and connected to the internet, you should be able to see their location. However, if the answer is negative, your or your friends’ application is accused of being blamed, which is common among iPhone users.

Difference between No Location Found and Location Not Available

The main goals of “no location found” and “location not available” are somehow delusive; when someone receives “location not available,” it means they are trying to be recognized and located either by GPS, Find my Friends, or the iMessage app, but the connection cannot be established properly.

On the other hand, the “location not found” error is accompanied by the message that their location still hasn’t been found, even after their GPS has been trying to locate it. As a result, “location not available” is something related to location tracker devices (like GPS), but “location no found” can be traced back to telecommunication issues.

How to fix no location found on “Find My Friends?”

As promised earlier, we will proceed to “how to fix the error” after completing the answer to the “what does no location found mean” mystery. Most of the solutions are so easy to learn, so let’s start;

1. Updating your iPhone

Before trying other methods, ensure you are using the latest version of iOS, iMessages, and “Find My Friends.” The out-dating mode of any of these elements can lead to seeing a “location not found” caution on the screen.

2. Restarting your iPhone

Sometimes restarting your iPhone will make you forget about all the problems you have with the connection. Since it is easy to be done, try it once and see if the issue is resolved.

3. Wait until your friends sign in to Find My Friends

iMessage is a free application for iPhone owners, and it can be signed in and signed out so easily. Therefore, you and your friends should open your app and ensure there is no departure mode from the environment to sign in;

1. Open your Settings application
2. Select “Find My” by clicking on your name
3. Turn on “Share My” Location
4. Wait till they turn on their phone or have signal

Remember that not all places have enough signal strength to be able to connect with others, like when you are roaming the Amazon rainforest. The same situation can also happen to your friends, so it is recommended to try approaching them the next time if we see no response from them.

4. Make sure they have turned on their location services

If you want to see your friends’ locations, their GPS services should be turned on. To make sure everything is okay, follow these steps;

1. Open your Settings app on your iPhone and choose the “Location Services” option from the menu to make your iPhone’s location services available.
2. Now scroll down your screen to the “Privacy” section and choose “Location Services” from the drop-down menu
3. Location Services can also be found at the top of the “Privacy” page, under the heading “Location Services.”

5. Tell them if they have signed out of iCloud to sign in

Sometimes you need to tell your friend to sign in to iCloud if they had signed out. If they do not sign in to iCloud, follow these steps to see their location;

1. First, open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Next, click on “Sign in to your iPhone.” Now sign in with your Apple ID and password.
3. In the next step, you will see a blank screen with the message “Signing in to iCloud…” as the process can take several minutes; you need to be patient. When asked, enter the four-digit passcode that came with your iPhone.
4. Once you have signed in, you will see your name at the top of the Settings application. Click on it.
5. Finally, you will be taken to a screen named “Apple ID,” where you need to choose iCloud from the drop-down menu.

How to make “Find My Friends” say no location found?

The next question after “what does no location found mean?” will be “how to make my app say no location found?” to make your iMessages or “Find My” app present a wrong and artificial “no location found” error on your friends’ iPhones, you need actually to fool the program.

The reasons reviewed in the etiology section can be used practically as “methods” to induce the same message, including turning your phone off, going to an area with no signal, signing out of iCloud, putting your device in the Airplane mode, and disconnecting it from the internet connection.

Summary

Thank you for reading. We have covered all you need to know about what does no location found mean on iPhone and how we can fix it easily and quickly. What does it mean when it says no location found? The main problem with the message error is not a concern here. However, two user sides of a connection are responsible for encountering problems, so ensure you are one of those. For more information, you can visit the official Apple help center website.

Streaming platforms have been making quite the buzz among audiences. After the pandemic, it seems people have begun to finally appreciate the lifestyle of introverts; staying at home, binge-watching a show while stuffing your face with junk food. No one thinks “partying” is cool anymore. 

If you’ve finally found your true calling with binge-watching shows all day long, you should have a firm grasp on the best toys the Internet has to offer in terms of streaming, of course. If you’re a British citizen, you should know your options, and also how to get your hands on the options that are unavailable within the UK. 

For instance, you can get HBO Max in the UK as well, if you know how to get around geo-restrictions by using a VPN. But more on that later. Let’s give you a rundown of the best streaming platforms mankind offers to break out of boredom. 

1. Netflix

To say Netflix is one of the biggest streaming websites available on the internet is an understatement. Despite losing 2 million subscribers in the past year, the streaming service continues to thrive by adding more and more titles to its ever-growing expansive library of 6000+ titles. 

So far, Netflix remains undefeated when it comes to producing originals. From the mysterious gang in Stranger Things to the entertaining ton of Bridgerton, the dramas keep you hooked. Apart from that, the streaming platform adds new and old titles to its library on a monthly basis.

The movies and shows are available in a variety of languages, so there’s something for everyone. Name any movie star and you’ll find at least one or two films of theirs on Netflix already. You can get a Netflix UK subscription for as low as £10.99 per month.   

2. HBO Max

As already mentioned, HBO Max earns its position in the top 5 popular streaming platforms in the UK. However,it is a geo-restricted platform and cannot be accessed in the UK directly. 

But, you shouldn’t let that hold you back. After all, you can always get the assistance of a premium VPN service and watch this stand-alone streaming service in the UK, offering a bunch of shows and movies. 

HBO Max offers content you can watch for more than 13000 hours. Impressive, Yeh? Apart from the worldwide famous Game of Thrones, you can watch The Staircase, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Big Little Lies and a number of other shows as well. Much like other streaming services, HBO Max also offers a number of packages so that you can binge-watch shows as much as you like. 

You can also get Max Originals, an over-the-top streaming service that houses the new version of the classic teen drama Gossip Girl. HBO Max packages start from $9.99 per month. 

3. Amazon Prime Video

Giving a good competition to Netflix’s originals, you have Amazon Prime Video, the streaming platform that houses the black comedy superhero series The Boys. Amazon Prime gives you access to over 12,000 titles available online and on-demand. 

Did you know you can even rent and buy movies and shows on this streaming platform? 

With Amazon Prime, you never run out of content to watch. Name a genre and you’ll find it on Amazon Prime. In fact, you can even get free 2-day Prime shipping, access to Amazon Music, and a free Kindle book every month. 

That sounds like a perfect package. You can get Amazon Prime for £7.99 per month and simultaneously stream it on three devices. 

4. Disney+

This family-friendly streaming platform is ideal for you if you’d like to relive your childhood through a heavy dose of nostalgia. Disney+ houses a variety of streaming content owned by Disney itself, Marvel, and Pixar. Any Disney cartoon which was an all-time favorite of yours in childhood, you’ll find it here.

Just recently, Disney+ unloaded a heap of the newest Marvel original series like Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Loki, and many others. You can watch shows in 4K resolution and on four different screens simultaneously without paying any additional costs. 

Disney Plus Premier Access allows you to purchase the newest cinema releases, such as Black Widow. All in all, Disney+ is an excellent streaming service if you’d like to get something for the entire family to watch, only for £7.99 per month. 

5. Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is also in the streaming business to give the rest of the competitors a run for their money. Most of the content produced by Apple TV+ has focused on quality rather than quantity. A star-studded quality product too. The # MeToo-focused drama, The Morning Show features Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, all in one show. 

If you’d like profound shows, Apple TV+ has a ton of them. This streaming platform offers affordable prices like £4.99 per month. It provides 4K resolution and allows you to watch on six simultaneous screens at the same time without any additional charges. 

In fact, if you purchase an Apple device along with a subscription for Apple TV+, you’ll get to use it free of cost for three entire months. 

Also Read: “How to Reset Apple TV Remote?”

Conclusion

That’s all from our side. We hope you can now decide which streaming service or service(s) are ideal for you while residing in the United Kingdom.. Gone are the days of DVDs and CDs as you can rent and purchase the newest shows or movies online. Also bypassing virtual barriers on your favorite streaming services is a piece of a cake for VPN providers. So, what are you waiting for? Go forth and get one!

Netflix has been around for over 15 years, and in that time the streaming service has changed how we watch TV and movies. With great original content on Netflix, it’s a no-brainer to sign up and start binge-watching your favorite shows. But what if you want to watch Netflix while stuck at work? With a VPN, you can unblock Netflix on your computer or stream Netflix from anywhere. In this guide, we’ll take a look at the best working VPNs for accessing Netflix in 2023.

What is a VPN?

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It is a technology that allows you to create a secure connection to a remote server. This is useful if you want to browse the internet privately, or if you want to keep your privacy while connected to a public network like the internet at work.

There are many different VPNs out there, and each one works in a different way. Some VPNs use dedicated servers, while others use peer-to-peer technology. Which one is best for you depends on your needs. Here are some of the best working Netflix VPNs:

ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPNs on the market today. It has dedicated servers in more than 100 countries, so you can always be sure that your connection will be smooth and fast. ExpressVPN also has excellent customer service, which is always available to help you with any questions or issues that you may have.

NordVPN is another great option for those looking for a good Netflix VPN. It has a wide range of servers, including dedicated servers in many countries where Netflix is available. NordVPN also has excellent customer service, which is always available to help you with any questions or issues that you may have.

Private Internet Access

Differences Between a VPN & Proxy

VPNs are a type of technology that allow you to encrypt and mask your online activity. This means that your browsing history, location, and other personal information will be hidden from the people or websites you are visiting.

There are many types of VPNs, but they all have some common features. First, most VPNs use a server network to encrypt your traffic. This means that no one can see what you are doing or where you are located.

Another common feature is a VPN’s ability to hide your IP address. Your IP address is the unique number that is assigned to each computer on the internet. By using a VPN, you can disguise your location and make it look as if you are located somewhere else on the internet.

Finally, most VPNs provide a number of other security features, such as malware protection and anti-spyware software.

Types of VPNs

There are a few different types of VPNs, and each has its own benefits. Choosing the right VPN for your needs is important, so let’s take a look at some of the most popular types of VPNs.

VPNs can be classified according to their purpose: virtual private networks (VPNs) are used for security and privacy; remote access VPNs allow you to connect to your corporate network from outside the office; site-to-site VPNs establish a secure connection between two locations; and extranet VPNs allow you to share files with other employees on a secure network.

Each type of VPN has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, a remote access VPN is great for accessing your corporate network from outside the office, but it’s not as secure as a site-to-site VPN. A site-to-site VPN provides greater security than a remote access VPN, but it can be more difficult to set up.

Best 5 Working Netflix VPNs in 2023: 1. ExpressVPN. The best Netflix VPN is fast, easy and usable on loads of devices

In this article, we are going to be discussing the best working Netflix VPNs in 2023. We will be looking at ExpressVPN as their performance, ease of use and compatibility with devices make them the best choice for anyone looking for a VPN that can help them watch Netflix securely and privately.

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services on the planet and with good reason. It offers an amazing selection of TV shows and movies that you can watch whenever you want. However, if you want to watch Netflix securely and privately then a VPN is essential.

A VPN encrypts all of your traffic so that it is protected from prying eyes. This means that not even Netflix can see what you are watching. In addition, a VPN will also allow you to browse the web without being tracked or spied on by your ISP or government.

ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPNs on the planet and is perfect for anyone looking to watch Netflix safely and securely. They offer a fast connection that is perfect for streaming content online and their compatible devices make it easy to use. In addition, their customer service is excellent so if there are any problems with using their service, you will be able to get help quickly.

Pros vs Cons

When it comes to streaming entertainment, there’s nothing that beats the feeling of being able to watch your favorite shows without any restrictions. However, living in a country where Netflix is blocked can be frustrating.

Fortunately, there are many VPNs that allow you to access Netflix unblocked. This is because VPNs help to encrypt your traffic and mask your location. This means that anyone monitoring your internet traffic won’t be able to see where you’re really located.

One of the best VPNs for streaming Netflix is ExpressVPN. This provider has a wide range of servers that can ensure that you can access Netflix no matter where you are in the world. Plus, their strict no logs policy means that their data will never be tracked or shared with third parties.

If you are a technology leader, you know that your company’s success depends heavily on managing costs and resources. In this article, we’ll share some tips on effectively leveraging resources while keeping your team high-spirited and productive.

We’ll consider several business decisions you make as a leader to increase your company’s ROI and overall business growth.

Lets’ get started.

Set clear expectations and KPIs.

Setting clear, mistake- and bias-free key performance indicators may be burdensome. The most significant difficulty hides in forecasting the likely results.

The good news is that leaders today have a lot of analytical tools to detect general trends you may rely on, for people rarely change the work they behave and work online. The bad news is that they are sometimes not enough.

Example: you ran a marketing team that produced 200 qualified leads a month last year. Yet, this year, they barely have 100. Per KPIs, they are underperforming, although they might work twice as hard. The reason for the decrease may be merely the economic recession.

When setting result-based KPIs, be sure you take all factors into account.

Yet, KPIs ensure you know what’s going on with your business, allows you to make plans and predictions, and, more importantly, sketch a plan for further company growth.

Invest in employee training.

The ability of your team to react to customer demands fast and effectively translated into customer satisfaction, retention, and thus, higher ROI.

According to statistics, the spending on employee training has been growing worldwide since 2008. It reached the estimated market size of 370.3 billion US dollars in 2019, although there was a recession during the pandemic in 2020-2021.

Also, employees love to see the prospects of professional and career growth and feel loyal to companies taking care of their education. 75% among over 2000 respondents worldwide reported they were satisfied or delighted with their company’s reskilling and upskilling training.

Involve employee quality assurance.

General standards of employee performance can show who in your team performs great and who might need additional training—having these data arms a business owner with a basis for quick steps for team performance improvement.

As an option, a business owner can introduce individual or group training, coaching, and developing focused business plans.

As for employees, they will like such attempts. First, people feel safer knowing they are performing well according to generally accepted standards, so far as these standards are the same for everyone. Also, the underperforming employees will be glad to know their weak side and will be highly likely to take upskilling training.

Outsource your IT to a professional third-party vendor.

Keeping an IT team in-house has its preferences, yet it is often costly and time-consuming. Apart from maintaining constant hardware upgrades, a business owner should also ensure the IT team stays updated with the latest trends. Therefore, many companies, including tech giants like Google and Skype, outsource some of their processes. According to the IT Outsourcing Industry report, in 2022, the global market size of outsourced services continued its growth and reached 95.5 billion US dollars.

Outsourcing IT to a third-party vendor gives three main benefits.

1.   It saves cost – by hiring a team from the chief world’s outsourcing destinations, you get excellent quality at a lower price due to differences in taxes.

2.   You get services that fit your growing needs – spending time and effort on finding the new employee’s for your IT department doesn’t add up to your general ROI growth. If you hire a third-party vendor, you’ll be able to resize your team on demand quickly.

3.   You get expertise – usually, IT companies invest significantly into the proficiency of their teams, for this is how they stand market competition. By hiring an outside vendor for IT or business analysis service, you may be sure of the high quality of services.

Conclusion

Although the tips we’ve mentioned are practical, they share a common principle: any improvement needs an initial investment of time, research, effort, and money. Whether it’s employee training, choosing an outsourcing team, or finding a proper analytics tool – all these steps will initially require a devoted involvement of a business leader.

Making an album that listeners can look forward to is never easy, especially one which will be streamed and eventually purchased. When was the last time you purchased a song? Even now, only a little more persuasion is all that is required.

It’s always better to have additional music recorded that is more than enough.

Ask the music manager to assist with the hardest work

Both Spotify and Amazon Music use the same definition of “album,” requiring between seven and multiple songs or a running time of more than thirty minutes. If you want to meet the minimum requirement of 7 records, strive for 11 to thirteen. If you have more music than you require, it’s preferable to be brutal and remove those which don’t satisfy your standards so that the record is at its best and finest.

Creating eye-catching album artwork is essential

It’s true that outstanding album artwork is extremely important in the period of streaming, if not more so. Followers possess as many options as ever before, and you need your work to stick out in their feeds among the hundreds of other options they may subscribe to. Nowadays, anybody having a basic understanding of visual communication can create competent album covers on their own.

The photograph of the musician should be eye-catching

The best way to capture the essence of a musician is to photograph him or her in artistry photographs, just like album covers, serve as a graphical reflection of the type of person you are as a musician and everything you do musically. Get yourself or your group photographed professionally by hiring a camera crew. Preparation before the session will allow you to articulate your vision for the images throughout the session. In addition to music cover and track information, you may utilize such photographs on your blog, social media platforms, accounts, and more. Add credibility to all of that fantastic music by uploading a photo wherever that allows it. Find out who you are.

Is there a way to distinguish yourself from the many other musicians that are making music? Is there a narrative behind the song, and where does your latest release fall into that? Is your band, a group of outlaws, about to release its most ferocious record yet? Or are you a solitary musician who creates monologues about your innermost thoughts? Put it all over your webpage, online accounts, and various online platforms.

Have a strong online presence

The best way to improve your online visibility is to decorate your music webpage with your sleek, fresh star images and make it fit for the release of your latest record. As the latest single marks the beginning of a fresh phase in a musician’s career, this is a regular occurrence. Include details regarding the new record in your bio, as well as any new images you post. Use a captivating sense of urgency to persuade listeners to listen to your new music and provide its meaning to the larger purpose of your tale.

Summary

A lot of albums are released every day. But if your album is not bringing in revenue or is not productive, certain steps have to be taken to make it give you the desired results.

Source: Hugh Han

The internet is the new Wild West, with cybercriminals continually finding new backdoors into your smartphone and personal accounts. Throughout 2021, there were over 2 million new mobile malware samples on the internet. 

While the forecast looks dim, there’s still plenty you can do to safeguard your device and accounts from hackers.

How do hackers get into my phone and account?

In our current tech landscape, accounts and smartphones depend on one another. However, the methods hackers use to breach an account or phone can differ.

Common account hacking methods

A staggering 600,000 Facebook accounts are compromised every day. There are multiple ways in which hackers break into these accounts:

• Weak, re-used passwords: If your account was hacked, you may be re-using passwords. When one database is breached, the hacker might have your password for everything.
• Keylogging: This software tracks all keystrokes you make, sending the data to hackers online. Credit card numbers and passwords are commonly stolen with this method.
• Social engineering: Attackers can imitate big companies and ask for personal information. Many of these methods use social psychology to trick you into handing over your passwords.

Common smartphone hacking methods

Unfortunately, hacking a phone is becoming a walk in the park. Today’s smartphone hacking methods include:

• SIM swapping: If a hacker can transfer your number onto their SIM, they can easily access your phone data. 
• Public Wi-Fi: Free, public connections are used daily. Hackers often set up fake Wi-Fi connections to lure users into their trap. Once connected, you might be redirected to malicious sites or spied upon.
• Malicious apps: Current app technology is making phone hacking a breeze. In 2018, 28% of cyberfraud came from rogue apps.

6 tips to safeguard your accounts and smartphone from hackers

So, now that you know how hackers infiltrate phones and personal accounts. How can you prevent it from happening in the first place?

#1 Keep your mobile number as private as possible

Landline numbers have long been considered private, while your mobile is free to hand out. The same cannot be said anymore. With only your mobile number, a hacker has your data in the palm of their hand.

Hacking apps are becoming so sophisticated. With only a phone number, attackers can access a user’s phone with an app from a third-party app store. Keep your mobile number private and if you’ve shared it a bit too much, consider getting a new one.

#2 Do not “keep me logged in”

These days, there’s little you can do without logging in somewhere. This process is repetitive, time-consuming, and frustrating. That’s why so many of us choose to allow sites to log us in automatically.

Auto-login is widely implemented on the internet, but convenience comes with a price. If a hacker can access your browser, they can access all of your accounts. Your safest bet is to use a password manager or input your passwords manually.

#3 Use a VPN when using a public connection

Enticing as it is, free public Wi-Fi can be a feeding frenzy for a cybercriminal. By setting up a copycat Wi-Fi in the same place, hackers can lure you into their false connection, exposing your sensitive data.

Of course, it would be best to avoid using public Wi-Fi altogether. Sometimes you just have to, so in that case, consider trying a free VPN download. A VPN is your data safeguard when you need to browse the web on a public connection.

Source:  Dan Nelson

#4 Keep an eye on your apps and their permissions

Apps are becoming overly intrusive, having complete access to our photos and more. While playing a phone game, your data can be viewed and shared from one party to another. Funny enough, we give permission for this to happen.

Explore your phone’s settings to find your “Permissions Manager.” Here, every permission you’ve personally allowed is shown. Remove any unnecessary permissions for particular apps, and be careful what you allow your apps to see.

#5 Avoid “rooting/jailbreaking” your smartphone

“Jailbreaking” or “rooting” your smartphone is a process that gives a user a “higher privilege.” Android and iPhone users can customize more settings and download unapproved apps from third-party app stores.

However, this process opens major holes in your phone’s security. When first installed, Android malware tries to obtain root privileges. By rooting your phone, you’ve done the hard work for them. From here, banking details and passwords are easily stolen.

#6 Make sure your software is always up-to-date

As software ages, backdoors in its security become notorious. Hackers exploit these holes to gain access to users running on outdated software. Developers constantly fix these vulnerabilities in patches and updates.

Have you been postponing that annoying update notification on your phone? Well, your phone is being rather obvious. Keep your device updated to avoid risking exposure to security flaws in old software.

All in all

We can all assume we’re mostly safe when we browse the web, but the truth is not as simple. Hackers use every trick in their arsenal to breach individuals’ accounts and smartphones.

Do nothing, and you may become a target — proactively protect yourself, and a hacker’s job becomes a whole lot harder.