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Given all the high-profile hacks and data breaches, one might expect people to embrace meaningful phone security. But if you look at the billions of people using free communication apps with considerable privacy liabilities, it’s surprising how many people still use phones and apps that leave them vulnerable.

Business leaders have more riding on the security of their phones than others. If an executive’s personal information or commercial data was hacked or leaked, it would put the company, its clients and the individual all at risk.

While many free apps promise “end-to-end encryption,” a genuinely secure mobile phone must go deeper by being built from the ground up for privacy. Let’s take a closer look at all that entails.

Proprietary Servers

When there’s a data breach, it’s rarely because the hacker cracked the encryption. Most encryption is impenetrable, so hackers need to find an alternative route to get your data. When they do, they look for weak spots in the server where data is stored — why try to crack the safe when it’s easier to rob the valuables when they’re not in it?

Look for a platform that has its own proprietary approach to server storage. Leading encrypted solution providers don’t store sensitive materials, like emails, messages, contacts, or data that would be detrimental if leaked. 

The most secure platforms only store customers’ basic information on their servers, like username, activation date and expiry date.

No Third-Party Apps

While apps are ubiquitous in today’s digital world, they introduce a host of security risks that offset whatever usability and functionality they offer. Business leaders are safest when using phones deliberately designed to exclude third-party apps.

When you download an app, you really need to scrutinize what permissions you are accepting. Read the fine print. Ensure you know who the app is sharing their data with and why. Do you want your personal information exploited?

Many apps collect personal data and share it with partners or third-party advertisers or store it insecurely. Once you download an app, it’s impossible to know how they’re using, sharing, monitoring, and modifying your private information and network. 

The most secure phones today prioritize security above all, but they also have a slew of tools that let users enjoy the functionality expected from a modern phone. 

Secondary Security Features

End-to-end encryption using the strongest algorithms possible is the primary safeguard against digital intruders. Searching servers for weak points isn’t the only point of access for data thieves. Secure phones have secondary features designed to fend off a range of threats.

On a basic level, the Notebook Lock Screen should have a custom pin and two-factor security. Wise executives would never leave their phones unprotected. What would happen if someone was able to bypass your phone’s exterior defenses?

As a business leader, you need a self-destruct feature for granular control of the data you share, including messages and pictures. You can choose the expiry of these items and limit them from being shared with others. 

Any content set to self-destruct will be erased at the scheduled time on both devices, even if there’s no data connection. For even more protection, any such content can’t be saved or forwarded, so people have airtight control over privacy.

A tamper-proof feature takes password protection to new heights. Simply set up a duress password, and if someone enters the wrong password too many times, the phone will automatically and instantly delete all its contents. Even if you are the victim of corporate espionage and someone steals your phone, they wouldn’t be able to access the data. 

Easy to Use

Business leaders aren’t necessarily expert tech users, and nobody wants to waste time figuring out how to navigate a complex interface. Thankfully, today’s most secure phones are designed to be easy for anybody to use. 

With one-touch access to contacts, messages, voice and pictures, there’s no need to toggle between apps to use your phone’s most popular features. Time is money for executives, and they need a device that can keep up with the rapid pace of business.

Multiple Languages

Having the opportunity to select your first language to display on your encrypted phone improves functionality. The best platforms let you choose from English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch, German and many of the world’s other dominant languages.

Executives know their business inside and out, but they don’t necessarily know everything about encryption and phone security. It’s easy to trust free communication apps, given their popularity and widespread use. But they may not seem dangerous until it is too late. Keep all the above tips in mind, and you can worry about growing your business instead of maintaining your data privacy.