An Android Smartphone Displays Google Website
An Android smartphone displays the Google website in this picture illustration in Seoul September 7, 2011. Reuters/Truth Leem

When the Android platform was introduced it was a fascination for everyone to have a miniature computer in their hands. As new versions of the Android were introduced it becomes very popular and people began loving it, the reason being that they could do many things on the Android platform. Some of the things are the flexibility of customization and the millions of third party apps that could be installed on an Android device.

Apps can be installed by bypassing the Google Play Store. With that being said this could lead to malware and security threats. Since the smartphone has taken over our lives and we cannot live without it and rely on the device to store important information it leaves us more open to data thefts. To protect our data and keep our Android device secure, these are some important things that we could do.

Screen Lock

Applying a screen lock with a pattern, password or PIN is a basic security measure. This can be activated in the Security settings of the device. After the specific period of time the device will automatically lock itself or even pressing the power button will lock the device.

Google's Android Device Manager

Activating Google's Android Device Manager allows the user to track the device on Google Maps. There is also a feature that enables the user to ring the device at full volume for 5 minutes and erases all the data. This can be enabled in the Security settings through Device Administrator.

Data Encryption

Data can be encrypted on the device by entering a password or PIN. Every time the device is turned on the PIN or Password needs to be entered to decrypt the data. This way if the handset gets into unscrupulous hands the data cannot be accessed without the Password or PIN. This facility can be activated in the Security settings.

Apps from unknown sources

The safest place to download apps is from the Google Play Store. Third party apps from unknown sites should be downloaded and installed with caution as they could infest the user's phone with hidden spyware and malware.

Lock apps

For additional protection Gallery and Messaging can be locked so that private data is protected. There a number of apps on the Google Play Store that can be downloaded to lock apps for additional protection. A password or PIN will be required to access these apps when in use.

Sensitive data on SD cards

Sensitive data should not be stored on SD cards that would include the credit card numbers and personal ID. SD cards can be easily removed and accessed. The best thing to do is to store information on the internal storage to keep the data more secure.

Rooting the phone

Rooting phones to install custom Android ROMs and even some incompatible apps is a clear no because this gives access to the users device file system that can lead to malicious apps being installed on the system as well as the phones warranty goes void.

These are some of the ways to keep the smartphone secure, but many users will be careless regarding these security measures. It's better to stay safe than to regret later.