Your smartphone might be the most important piece of technology you own. Your life is in there: online banking, getting directions, making payments, private texts, personal photos and calls.

That’s why you have to make sure it’s as secure as possible – and one of the ways to do that is to make sure you aren’t using an outdated phone.

A good rule of thumb is three years. If the phone is over three years old, chances are it is no longer getting security updates from the manufacturer.

Also, be sure to apply the updates when they become available for your smartphone. Buy a new phone before your current phone is no longer supported by the manufacturer and make sure you aren’t giving your old phones to your kids, parents or other family members.

One last thing. Make sure you completely wipe your phone before donating or recycling it. Here’s how:

  1. Back up your data
  2. Encrypt your data on the device (if you haven’t already)
  3. Remove your account
  4. Perform a factory reset

Have questions about cyber security or some other IT-related issues? Access our calendar here to book a quick, 10-minute call.