Update, antivirus, reset… these actions to know to avoid being spied on by your smartphone

Attention à ne pas vous faire espionner à distance depuis vos smartphones. AntonioGuillem/Getty Images

Si vous n’y prêtez pas attention, votre smartphone peut rapidement se transformer en nid à espions, avec des logiciels malveillants qui surveillent vos activités ou vous volent des données. Pour éviter que cela n’arrive, il convient de prendre quelques précautions.

The very first instinct to have is to always update your mobile operating system and its applications regularly. This helps close already known security gaps. Never download attachments or documents from emails or questionable sites. Also, do not install applications other than those offered on the official Apple and Google Stores.

Antivirus and VPN are required

It is also advisable to use an antivirus on your smartphone, which can detect the presence of spyware if necessary, as well as a VPN, which will protect you from malicious sites. Finally, be careful to lock the screen of your smartphone, never part with it and never lend it to anyone. Obviously, no one is safe, but these precautions will certainly save you from major problems.

Please note that there are many warning signs indicating the presence of spyware on your smartphone. From a hardware perspective, this can result in overheating and unusual high battery consumption, random exits from sleep mode or reboots, strange noises during phone calls, etc.

Reset your smartphone

For the rest, worry if your contacts receive suspicious messages from you, if your data consumption is abnormal, if you receive unusual connection requests to your email accounts or your social networks or if the automatic correction works strangely.

If these alerts accumulate, it's really time to worry and reset your device, which will have the effect of absolutely deleting all data on the device and making it restart in factory mode, that is to say as on the first day. To do this, simply go to Settings/System then Reset under Android or General/Reset iPhone under iOS.