A smartphone must be protected more than a computer!

30% of Polish Internet users do not change their passwords to access portals, and as much as 25% of us do not have antivirus software installed on their mobile devices*. In this way, we make it easier for cybercriminals to steal our data. Browser security is not everything. More and more data is being shared not through websites, but through mobile applications, so the security of your smartphone must be taken care of too.

- Dating applications and news services are watching you. Corporations, governments, services - says Łukasz Figielski, editor of "Logo" monthly. - How to make Google and Facebook not know everything about you? In the latest issue we ask about it a sociologist and an expert in collecting and analyzing data from the network - Dr Dominik Batorski.

And here are four basic steps you can take to protect your data.

First: install antivirus software

The first thing we do after buying a new computer is to install an antivirus. On the phone? Not necessarily anymore. And we use it more often, it is on around the clock and connected to the network at all times. We have e-mail and mobile applications in it - often also access to the bank account. Anti-virus software and system updates are the basis for data security.

Secondly, turn off the location

GPS and location services are very useful when we get lost or use navigation. In any other situation, it is better to turn it off. Otherwise, the applications on your phone will collect information about how much time you spend in the office (and where it is located), what shops you shop in and what you do after work. This information may be used by marketing companies.

Third: control your privacy settings

You decide how much you allow your applications to do. Unless the one for sending SMS will work without access to the contact database, it is already suspicious with the flashlight. After each installation, check your privacy settings and control application access to individual system components. If something seems suspicious to you, look for an alternative application.

Fourth: archive and clean

Just like the data from your computer's hard drive, backup the data in external memory, preferably offline, to a separate drive. If your phone is damaged by malware, it will be easier to recover lost information. If you are going to give your phone to someone or sell it to them, you need to clear the memory, delete the passwords and restore the factory settings - this will minimize the risk of sharing your data with third parties.