Android Security Tips

Set a screen lock to help prevent unauthorized use of your Android based device.

You have the option to set the screen lock by drawing a pattern on the screen, choosing a pin, or choosing a password.
To configure:

From the Home screen, select Menu > Settings > Location & Security > Set up screen lock.
Then, choose between Pattern, Pin or Password.
Click the Back button to get back to the Location & Security settings.
Click the "Security lock timer" button and select 5 minutes.

Enable ActiveSync with your Tufts email address

ActiveSync not only lets you check your email securely, it provides additional security options that you may configure via Tufts Exchange Online Web Access (OWA){color:#000000}}.

Turn off the location-based Latitude service if you do not plan to use it.

Latitude
The Latitude option is useful if you intend to use GPS based features, but if you do not want people to be able to determine your location or do not use these features, you should disable Latitude.
To disable Latitude:

Open Latitude, touch your name, and edit privacy settings.
Detect your location -- Uncheck this option for privacy
Hide your location -- Check this option for privacy
Turn off latitude -- Check this option to disable the entire location based service.

Disable Bluetooth if you do not plan to use it.

Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a well known weakness in mobile phone connectivity, which has lead to several celebrity mobile phone hacks.

To configure:

From the Home screen, select Menu > Settings > Wireless & Networks.
Then, uncheck Bluetooth.

Install an emergency locator application.

In the event that your phone is lost or stolen, having installed and prepared an emergency locator application can help retrieve your phone.

There are many free and paid apps available via the Android Market, such as Lookout Security.

If your Android device is registered with a Google account, it may be possible to install a locator app after you have lost your phone. For more details, see the app "Plan B."

Tether at your own risk.

Opening up your device to other devices to use your connectivity as a portable hotspot comes with increased information security risks.

If you do not want or need to share your network:

From the Home screen, select Menu > Settings > Wireless & Networks > Tethering & Portable Hotspot.
Uncheck Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot.

Harden your browser security and privacy settings

Some of these settings may affect your Internet usability and are less convenient than the less-secure options, so assess your personal security requirements and adjust accordingly.

1. From the Home screen, select Menu > More Settings > Browser Settings.
2. Browser Security options:
a. Block Pop Ups - Check to prevent websites from opening new windows without your permission.
b. Enable Java Script - Uncheck to prevent JavaScript from running,
NOTE: Will affect browser functionality - use only when high security is required.
c. Enable Plugins - Uncheck to prevent plugins from loading from web pages.
d. Remember form data - Uncheck.
e. Remember passwords - Uncheck.
3. Browser Privacy options:
a. Clear Cache.
b. Clear History.
c. Accept cookies - Uncheck to prevent cookies from being downloaded by your browser.
NOTE: Will affect browser functionality - use only when high security is required.
d. Enable Location/Location Sharing - Turn off to prevent browsing based applications from utilizing your location as a data source.
e. Clear all cookie data.
f. Remember form data - Uncheck.

Enable automatic updates.

With automatic updates, your apps will keep themselves up-to-date with the latest version. This helps app developers respond quickly to known security bugs so that you don't have to.

To configure automatic updates:

Select Menu > Android Market > Menu > Downloads.
Select the application and check Allow automatic updating.

Use encryption options to protect your data.

Encryption prevents unauthorized access to any data stored on your phone. Even if your phone is lost or stolen, it is extremely difficult to access encrypted data. Because encryption takes place in the background and is largely invisible to you, we highly recommend applying it.

Prepare to leave your phone unused for several minutes as it encrypts the internal storage (this is time consuming but only occurs once).
From the Home screen, select Menu > Settings > Location and Security > Data Encryption.
Check Device data encryption.
Check Memory card encryption.

Check an applications reputation before installing or using a service and uninstall applications you no longer use.

Check an applications reputation using app-store reputation mechanisms prior to installing them. It's good practice to install applications only from the Android Market, but if you choose to use other sources, make sure you fully trust the source (e.g., Amazon).

To remove applications that you no longer use:

Select Android Market > Menu > Downloads.
Select the application you no longer want and touch Uninstall.