Hardening Android

These mitigations are kept as simple as possible, with tools found in most Androids. Some things are harder to cover. For example, each manufacturer has its own privacy settings somewhere, and there are even a growing number of alternatives that do not report everything you do to Google.

Accounts and authentication

• Introduction
• Change the SIM PIN
• Set a password or PIN screen lock and a timeout
• Keep notifications off the lock screen

Services and applications

• Introduction
• Application stores
• Research before installing apps
• Unwanted apps list
• Remove unwanted apps
• Secure browsers that protect your privacy
• Change your default applications
• Use a secure messaging service
• Use secure email services
• Use SSH tunnels
• Use a VPN service
• Use a Tor proxy
• Change MAC address
• Edit hosts file

Data

• Introduction
• Encrypt SD card

Privacy

• Introduction
• Turn off diagnostics
• Put the kibosh on Autofill with Google
• Shut down location history
• Revoke the prying big eyed activity controls
• Terminate ad personalisation
• Privacy focused Android alternatives

Malware

• Introduction
• Install an AV scanner
• Find the culprit and remove it
• Analysing trojans

Operations security

• Introduction
• Don’t get juice-jacked
• Do not auto-join Wi-Fi networks
• Use email securely
• Detecting fake emails and phishing
• Browse more safely
• Measure Internet Censorship
• ‘;–have i been pwned?

Guards! Guards!

• Introduction
• Firewall No Root
• NetGuard