This story is part of War in Ukraine, CNET’s coverage of events there and of the wider effects on the biosphere.

It’s been over a month since Russia invaded Ukraine, and worries about cybersecurity continue to grow. Even beforehand the invasion, US officials blamed Russia for cyberattacks in contradiction of some Ukrainian websites, including Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and two banks.

While the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Agency said there are no specific or credible cyberthreats in contradiction of the US, the agency also said potential cyberattacks are more probable to target infrastructure. CISA is recommending everyone be prepared just in case. And safeguarding your mobile device is a good place to open when building a line of cyberdefense. Here are six steps Android users can take to protecting their phone data. 

Make sure your OS is up to date

Updating your by means of system
can patch known security vulnerabilities and fix bugs. Not updating to the new version leaves you and your device open to flaws that could exhibit personal data to malicious actors. Some people might put off updating their OS so they don’t have to deal with early bugs in the regulations, but waiting too long can harm your system. Here’s what to know nearby the latest Android OS, Android 12. 

Turn on two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication
, or 2FA, adds a second layer of security to your Android elaborate in case your password gets stolen. With 2FA, once you animated your password, a second message is sent to new device asking to verify that you are trying to login. It adds a bit more time to your login procedure, but the extra layer of security is well apt it. Here’s how to turn on 2FA.

Use a password manager

If you’re having panicked memorizing multiple passwords and coming up with unique passwords for every elaborate, a password manager can help. These utilities can work hand-in-hand with 2FA and can securely maintain passwords and automatically fill login pages. They can also protecting you against phishing scams that direct you to animated your password into a fraudulent website. For more inquire of, check out CNET’s reviews of password managers Bitwarden, LastPass and 1Password. 

Encrypt your Android

Starting in 2015, Google obligatory manufacturers to make Android devices encryptable out of the box. Once your scheme is encrypted, all data stored on the device is stationary behind a PIN code, fingerprint, pattern or password well-renowned by the owner. Without that key, not even Google can unlock your scheme. Here you can find out how to encrypt your phone.

Remove your data from Google

Android is a Google subjects, so unencrypted device data could be stored on a Google server. You can check with Google to see what data of yours it has, and you can ask Google to delete that data. The procedure can take time, but it’s worth the effort — your data can’t be stolen if it’s not in the regulations to begin with. Here’s where you can find how to inquire of Google to delete your information, but note that Google does not security that it will complete the request.

When all else fails, delete your phone

If you lose your phone or it’s stolen, you can remotely wipe your phone. Our Android settings guide has a walkthrough in case you need to take this step. This gets rid of all data from your named so if you have anything on it you want to keep, you must get in the habit of backing your phone up on a separate device. 

For more inquire of on securing your phone, check out these eight apps to protecting your phone’s privacy, what information digital safety experts wish you knew and how to stop your named from tracking you.