Encrypt iPhone or iPad Data
Security and privacy are hot topics with company data leaks, hacking, and ransomware on the rise. One important step you can take to protect your information is to encrypt it. This is especially important for devices that tend to be lost or stolen—such as smartphones. Whether you prefer Android or iOS devices, you should know how to set up encryption. The iPhone and iPad use file encryption that is activated by default when you set a passcode for your iPhone. Here’s how to confirm that it is activated. The passcode creates a lock screen and encrypts the iPhone or iPad data—but not all of it. The information that is encrypted with this method includes your personal data, messages, emails, attachments, and data from certain apps that offer data encryption.
Encrypt Android Data
On Android devices, the lock screen and the device encryption are separate but related. You cannot encrypt your Android device without the screen lock turned on, and the encryption password is tied to the screen lock passcode. Your device may restart several times during the encryption process. Wait until the entire process finishes before using your device.
Should You Encrypt Your Phone or Tablet?
You already have a lock screen; should you bother with encrypting your mobile device if you don’t store much personal information on it? Encryption does more than bar a person from accessing the information on your mobile device. Think of the lock screen as a lock on a door: Without the key, uninvited guests can’t come in and steal your belongings. Encrypting your data makes the information unreadable—useless—even if a hacker gets past the lock screen. Software and hardware vulnerabilities are constantly being identified, although most of them are patched quickly. It’s even possible for determined attackers to hack lock screen passwords. The benefit of strong encryption is the extra protection it provides for your personal information. The downside to encrypting your mobile data is that, at least on Android devices, it takes longer for you to log in to your device because each time you do, it decrypts the data. Also, after you encrypt your Android device, there’s no way to change your mind other than through a factory reset of the device. For many people, that’s worth it to keep personal information private and secure. For mobile professionals who work in certain industries—finance and health care, for example—encryption isn’t an option. All devices that store or access consumers’ personally identifiable information must be secured, or they’re not in compliance with the law.
