Your online privacy and security is more important than ever, and your sensitive data is now more vulnerable. Luckily, there is a way that you can improve your mobile security and the general security of your information. Using DFNDR’s Applock feature allows you to lock specific apps with a unique password, meaning that even if a thief or snooping family member figured out how to bypass your lock screen, your sensitive data would be protected by a second barrier. Click the button above to lock apps that contain sensitive information, such as your email account, Facebook, contacts, text messages, images, and any other app that you want to secure. That way, malicious individuals will not be able to access and steal your personal information.

Read More: WikiLeaks Releases CIA Documents Exposing Spying Tactics

Secure Your Data

The FCC’s privacy rules passed during the previous administration required customers to give ISPs consent before the ISP could use their data. The ISP would then have to inform them on what they collected, why, and what it would be used for. The FCC’s rules also required that ISPs protect their consumers’ data from theft and data breaches. The Republican senators’ voted to eliminate all of these regulations. This means that your personal, private information will be collected and sold by major corporations that have no obligation to secure the data that they take from you. In addition, the bill prevents the FCC from introducing any new initiatives that aim to protect user data.

This will have a number of consequences, beyond just making your information more easily available to hackers. For instance, your Internet providers will be able to view your browsing history, which web pages you visit, who you email, and who you speak to online. Search engines such as Google are already able to track your browsing history, but ISPs will have access to even more information about you, and will be allowed to sell this information to marketers.

The future of Internet security is uncertain under the current administration, so it’s vital to begin taking measures now to protect your data. DFNDR’s security and privacy features are designed to help you retain complete control over who has access to your private information. Check back for more security updates on how you can stay safe on your devices.

Click the button above. Or, begin by opening up the DFNDR app, and then click the “Menu” (three horizontal lines) button in the upper left corner. Then, click on “Settings,” followed by “Antivirus.” Under the antivirus settings, you can then activate “Anti-hacking”. To activate, simply slide the bar to the right. If for some reason you want to disable Anti-hacking, you can slide the bar to the left.

Keep Anti-hacking activated so that you always have a secure browsing experience. If you want to disable the feature, keep in mind that your Web browser will no longer automatically block you from malicious sites. That means that you’ll have to be extra cautious as you browse the Web, and pay more attention to whether or not a site’s connection is secure.

Why Anti-Hacking is Important

Unfortunately, Web browsers are not as safe as they should be. They don’t necessarily block you from malicious pop-ups or visiting malicious websites by default. That means that it can be very easy to stumble upon a website that you believe to be secure, but really isn’t. This can lead to installing malware or spyware onto your device, or phishing attempts.

Phishing is a type of cyber scam that tricks individuals into entering personal information onto a seemingly secure website. Phishing attempts can happen via email, as well. These malicious sites (or emails) can lead to your data, identity, or finances being stolen — so it’s not something to be taken lightly. That’s why it’s important to take advantage of this extra tool on the DFNDR app. It’s already there, it’s free to use, and it makes your Internet experience safer and more enjoyable. Think of it as another layer of protection to keep your device and personal information secure.

First, the virus overlays banking applications with a phishing page that replicates your bank’s login page. The user enters their username and password into this phished page, granting the hacker access to their bank account. The virus proceeds to ask for credit and debit card data so they can take advantage of your finances. Once the data is stolen, it is sent to the hacker’s banking account or it is sold to a third party.

Read More: Mobile Malware is on the Rise — Find out Why

This epidemic wasn’t detected until February 2014, and even then it was considered a minor threat. However, in May 2015, the malicious activity began, and its problems have done nothing but proliferate since then. Between May and September of 2015, for instance, over 6000 users were attacked across the globe. The epidemic is mostly affecting Russia, Germany, Austria, France, and Australia.

Acecard is a considerable threat to mobile banking because of its power to override the security system of these applications. For instance, most bank account phishing overlays can only work on a few bank branches’ apps. Usually, the other banks have the capabilities to shut down the hacking, thus making the phishing scheme futile.

On the other hand, Acecard has the capability to override the security systems of thirty different banking and payment systems. As a result, this virus has had a dire impact on the mobile banking industry.

This Trojan malware isn’t the only malicious software attempting to hack money. According to the Kaspersky Lab, there was an estimated 2 million attempts to steal money via online access to banking accounts in the year of 2015.

The software is another type of breed because it can access your personal information beyond banking as well. On top of stealing your money, it can also steal your identity on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Viper, Skype, Paypal, Gmail, and more have all experienced the ugly hand of Acecard.

Will the Acecard fold? Hopefully so.

Want to learn more about computer security? Come to the PSafe blog!

The primary funding mentioned below is encompassed within the Cybersecurity National Action Plan. This is the culmination of 7 years of research done by the administration, and it will address cybersecurity threats and intrusions. The plan will help the government promote internet and computer security to businesses both private and public. Here are some of its highlights.

Read More: Are Voting Machines Susceptible to Hacking?

There are a few different avenues through which our government can funnel money in order to address problems with cybersecurity. For instance, according to whitehouse.gov, the President plans to allocate $3.1 billion dollars in the 2017 fiscal budget towards Technological Modernization Funding. This ensures that governmental computer technology is up to date and functioning. This funding also helps support maximum computer security on this equipment.

The United States government is also investing in cybersecurity education for federal programs throughout the nation. The President plans to invest $62 million in this education. Among this funding will be scholarship programs for citizens who are wishing to break into the field of cybersecurity for the federal government.

Moreover, this funding will implement a Cybersecurity Core Curriculum that will ensure that cybersecurity graduates have what it takes to work for the federal government. The president’s budget is also incentivizing individuals to join the cybersecurity workforce by granting student loan forgiveness for those who are wishing to go into this field in the federal workforce.

PSafe Total
Who needs federal tax dollars when you can download PSafe Total and PSafe Total Windows for free? PSafe Total includes a variety of tools that will help optimize your device’s performance and secure you from malicious hackers. PSafe Total includes features such as Advanced Protection, which allows PSafe to protect your device from third-party uninstalls in case of loss or theft. This maximizes the privacy of your photos, messages, and personal data.

Plus, the anti-theft software allows PSafe Total to track, block, locate, and even erase all of your data remotely in case of theft.

The reason that the public loves WiFi hotspots is the same reason that eavesdropping hackers love them too: no authentication. Without requiring authentication to establish a network connection, a hacker can easily get access to any unsecured devices using the same network.

Read More: Mobile Malware is on the Rise — Find out Why

In short, the hacker works it out so that your information is sent directly to them. They then pass the information on — it doesn’t head to the original connection point.

What Information Can a Hacker Steal?
It turns out that a hacker can access a wealth of information over free, unsecured public WiFi.  You are potentially sharing with an eavesdropper your passwords, emails, texts, credit card information, and whatever you are doing over the free internet hotspot.

All of the information you send can then be used by a hacker whenever they want to use it. It could be that moment or it could be weeks later. He or she can then access whatever systems or programs you were using and pretend to be you.

What’s worse, these unsecured networks can be used to send malware your way. If you are allowing file-sharing over the network, your computer can easily become infected. In fact, some hackers are even making the hotspot itself a piece of malware. These attacks typically offer an upgrade to some sort of popular software, but when you click the window, malware will be installed.

How To Prevent Eavesdropping
You don’t have to skip the public WiFi — just be smart about using it. Try to connect to public networks that have good passwords instead of unsecured WiFi, and don’t browse through sensitive accounts like your online bank account while connected. If you don’t need WiFi, don’t automatically connect to it.

Finally, install PSafe TOTAL Windows on your computer and PSafe TOTAL on your Android smartphone to keep your devices safe from malware and viruses. Don’t access unsecured WiFi without them.

ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has excellent stealth services for private networks, but it is a little pricey at $8.32/month. ExpressVPN is incredibly secure with no usage logs, with the exception of some minor connection logs. With servers in over 75 countries, the program offers connection across the globe. There is also a 30-day money back guarantee if you are displeased with the services provided to you.

Read More: How to Ensure That You Remain Anonymous Online

Buffered
Buffered offers protection similar to that of ExpressVPN. While it maintains the same security level as ExpressVPN, it only works in 16 countries, so its usage is much more confined to certain areas. Buffered also has a pretty high price, at $8.25/month. Buffered’s unique feature is called the “port discovery.” This allows you to surpass login requirements whenever you are using public Wi-Fi.

IPVanish
IPVanish provides secure VPN services at an extremely competitive price ($6.49/month). This company is unique because they accept bitcoin as a form of currency. Like the other two services, IPVanish keeps no logs. Although it has a basic interface, the security and price are two reasons alone to download IPVanish. The simplicity of the program is also friendly to novice users who are not familiar with Virtual Private Networking systems. While the other two services provide a 30-day money back guarantee, IPVanish only provides a one-week money back guarantee.

VPNArena
VPNArena is a VPN service that keeps no logs and has excellent encryption services. As a result, many consider VPNArena to be the one of the most secure systems among VPN servers. This company offers a free 7 day trial, and you are allowed to connect up to five devices to the network. This network is also the most affordable of the ones listed, as it only costs $4.92/month.

It’s true that Android’s open platform makes it slightly more vulnerable to hackers and malware. This allows more dangerous apps to exist, or hackers to gain access to your phone through popular apps. However, this isn’t an Android-exclusive issue. Recently, malicious companies have been tricking social media users into downloading their apps from a link, instead of from Apple’s app store. iPhones are also susceptible to malicious links sent by text message or a multimedia message, which is another issue that has plagued Android phones. Luckily, Google and Apple are extremely concerned about security, and will take care of any security threats quickly. If you download all of your apps from the Play store or Apple’s app store, you will greatly reduce your risk of a security threat to your device.

Read More: Four Features Androids Have that iPhones Lack

As an added security feature, Google will start releasing automatic security updates, which will allow any threats to be taken care of as quickly as possible. This is a crucial move, considering that Androids are more likely than iPhones to miss security updates. Android users are also more likely than iPhone users to be using an older operating system, which can pose a security threat to the device and its data.

Ultimately, an Android phone isn’t necessarily more secure than an iPhone, and vice versa. It depends on how you use the devices, and your awareness of safe practices. This includes practices such as not ignoring software updates, avoiding unknown or suspicious links, and not accessing your banking information on public Wi-Fi.

Download PSafe Total
Add an extra layer of security to your Android phone with PSafe Total. PSafe Total is an antivirus and cleanup app that will ensure your device is protected against malware and running efficiently 24/7.