The National Security Agency (NSA), an organisation famous for its alleged habit of spying on people and politicians in the United States, has suggested Android and iPhone users to restart their smartphones once every few days in order to stay safe from cyberattacks. According to a report by Forbes, a document from the NSA dating years back has come to light recently and in that report, the organisation has shared some ways to protect your device from such attacks. 


According to the document, restarting your phone once every few days can help with some zero-day exploits and malware that might be running on your phone. The NSO Group, the company behind the Pegasus spyware also has an alleged reputation for using zero-day exploits to spy on its targets. These suggestions were made while keeping phones from the early 2010s in mind however, some of these tips still hold weight. 


If you restart your phone every few days then it can also help fix memory leaks and buggy apps which may be causing some issues on your device. 


Other Key Recommendations To Bolster Your Phone’s Security



  • Keeping your phone's software up to date: One should regularly update the apps and operating systems of their phones to ensure they have the latest security patches.

  • Avoid using public Wi-Fi: Yeah, bummer, we know. But, public networks are vulnerable to attacks and if in a situation you must use them, then consider using a VPN to secure your connection.

  • Turn off location services: Disabling location services when not in use is a good way to protect your privacy.

  • Thinking before clicking on links: One should be cautious with links. It is advised to avoid clicking on links or attachments in emails and text messages unless you know and trust the sender as malware might creep through these channels.

  • Disable Bluetooth when not in use: One should keep their Bluetooth off when not in use if they wish to prevent unauthorised devices from connecting to their phone.

  • Use official app stores: It is recommended to download apps only from reputable sources such as Apple’s App Store or Google Play store if one wishes to avoid malicious software from making its way to their device.

  • Using a stronger passcode: One should use strong passcodes, preferably with at least six digits, and enable biometric features like facial or fingerprint recognition for additional security.

  • Using trusted accessories only: Ideally, one should only use original or trusted charging accessories and avoid public USB charging stations. Public USB charging stations might be compromised.