Pretty obvious but important smartphone security advice

Lock it down. Encrypt it. If you get hacked or your information gets stolen, it’s your fault if you don’t take the right precautions.

Your smartphone is your most portable computer. It’s also a treasure trove of personal information. You wouldn’t leave your laptop unlocked in public, so why leave your phone unprotected? Lock up that data and encrypt it.

Social media, budgeting and finance apps, photos, address book, and email — they’re all filled with details about you and the people you know. Yet for some reason a third of smartphone users in the U.S. still don’t bother setting up password security on their phones. It’s a shame because using a four-digit pin or a pattern lock is one of the easiest ways to keep thieves out of your phone. Trust us, the person that finds your phone in the back of a cab or swipes it from your open bag while you’re on the bus isn’t a criminal mastermind. On the other hand, they will be able to figure out from your emails when you’ll be on vacation and what time you leave for work.