Nine steps for securing an Android tablet
Lockdown
We provide some important but often overlooked tips for securing your Android tablet.
Convenience usually wins out over security in popular computing, and tablets are no exception. You might expect an Android tablet to be an exception because it runs a variant of Linux, but following the headlines about the latest malware will soon disabuse you of such notions. The blunt truth is that most tablets ship completely unsecured, and the only mention of security in their manuals or quick guides is likely to be half a page suggesting that you install an anti-virus app.
The problem is not that securing a tablet is difficult – it's that you are left on your own, and the tools are scattered about. However, with a little effort and the application of a few elementary precautions, you should be able to achieve at least a minimally acceptable level of security on your tablet.
Specifically, here are nine concrete precautions you can take to increase your tablet's security. The screen shots are from a 10.1 Samsung Galaxy Tab 4, but most tablets should have similar if not identical options, especially because they are all dependent upon the Google Play Store.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.
-
A New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle, a Linux AI assistant, works with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.
-
FreeBSD Promises a Full Desktop Installer
FreeBSD has lacked an option to include a full desktop environment during installation.
-
Linux Hits an Important Milestone
If you pay attention to the news in the Linux-sphere, you've probably heard that the open source operating system recently crashed through a ceiling no one thought possible.
-
Plasma Bigscreen Returns
A developer discovered that the Plasma Bigscreen feature had been sitting untouched, so he decided to do something about it.
-
CachyOS Now Lets Users Choose Their Shell
Imagine getting the opportunity to select which shell you want during the installation of your favorite Linux distribution. That's now a thing.