Hardening your Android Device should be your first priority when purchasing your new device and today i’ll be showing you a few methods on doing so.
The reason on securing your device against hackers/stalkers/snoopers is to prevent malicious intent ,whether that be looking at your messages , wanting to install rats/keyloggers or even obtaining confidential information.
This tutorial is about 2 types of protection.
- Offline protection
- Online protection
First , we should get some offline protection. Offline protection refers to protecting your Android device from viruses, spyware ,malicious apps etc. It is very important to protect your files because we can’t always trust the ways of Online Anonymity. If it goes wrong, our offline protection should save us. Trojans and viruses remain a great challenge to our Anonymity. There are always trojans around and if we get infected, the attacker may use our machine as a proxy, and has full control on our devices.
Protect yourself against malware
- CM Security
There are many anti-virus apps on the market ,but CM Security stood out the most for me , with it’s built-in app locker , cleaner , phone booster and award winning AV-Test engine ,ranked #1. Their new addition of settings inlclude the anti-theft feature and it’s intruder selfie pic.
Harden your android kernel
- SecDroid
SecDroid hardens the android kernel by disabling certain binaries that have internet access or can be used as an attack vector and by securing the TCP Stack using Systctl. This helps prevent some MITM (Man-In-The-Middle) and Spoofing attacks. It may also prevent some DOS (Denial-Of-Service) Attacks.
Scan for vulnerabilities
- X-Ray
X-Ray scans your Android device to determine whether there are vulnerabilities that remain unpatched by your carrier. The X-Ray app presents you with a list of vulnerabilities that it is able to identify and allows you to check for the presence of each vulnerability on your device.
Backup your android device
- Titanium Backup
Now you don’t have to worry about losing your precious data/contacts or even old messages. This is the most powerful backup tool on android. With scheduled scans , 0-click batch restores as well as syncing it to various popular cloud providers. This is the ultimate must have app.
Android Firewall
- Droid Wall
Front-end application for the powerful iptables Linux firewall.
Allows you to restrict which apps can access the network.
This is the perfect solution if you don’t have an unlimited data plan, or just wants to see your battery lasting longer.
Android Device Manager
- Google’s ADM
Ever misplaced or lost your phone? Android Device Manager locates lost devices and helps you keep your device—and the data inside it—safe and secure. Android Device Manager lets you:
● Locate Android devices associated with your Google account
● Reset your device’s screen lock PIN
● Erase all data on the phone
I have done a tutorial on Android’s device manager app >>> click here <<< to follow on how to use the app
and download here
Discover malicious processes
- Autorun Manager
It lets you view your processes to see if there’s any malicious apps running and configure all the apps that runs on startup for a longer lasting battery and better overall performance.
Encrypting your calls
- Redphone
RedPhone makes private communication simple. Free, world-wide, end-to-end encryption for your calls, securing your conversations so that nobody can listen in.
Now we are moving to Online Protection. As you know, this is very important also more than Offline Protection. Common methods of Online protection are discussed below.
VPN
- Hotspot Shield for Android
Access media, video and messaging apps from around the world | Unblock social networks | Keep your mobile activities safe & private | Enjoy unlimited VPN bandwidth. Hotspot Shield VPN for Android offers Wi-Fi security, Internet & online privacy, as well as access to blocked content & apps such as Facebook, Netflix, BBC, Hulu, Skype and YouTube. Activate with 1 simple click, then you’re safe.
Protect yourself via WIFI
- Wifi Protector
Detects and protects from all kinds of ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) related attacks in Wi-Fi networks, like DOS (Denial Of Service) or MITM (Man In The Middle). Protects your phone from tools like FaceNiff, Cain & Abel, ANTI, ettercap, DroidSheep, NetCut, and all others that try to hijack your session via “Man In The Middle” through ARP spoofing / ARP poisoning.
Private Browser
- Orweb
Orweb is the most privacy-enhancing web browser on Android for visiting any website, even if it’s normally censored, monitored, or on the hidden web
Conclusion
It is a proven fact that nobody can be fully anonymous on the Internet. However, that does not mean nobody is secure. We should take steps to protect ourselves in the World Wide Web. Daily, a large amount of Cyber Crimes occurs and Identity theft is one of them. Black Hats ruin peoples’ lives for personal gain. It is our duty to remain secure. I sincerely hope this guide helped you and i’ll appreciate any feedback.
