Lock screen technologies for smartphones

Smartphones keep much sensitive personal and work-related information. Therefore, it is important to defend it and prevent from getting into the wrong hands. To avoid strangers unlocking your mobile phone, it is essential to set a screen lock. Let us see what types of screen locks you can find on the market, and check which are safe:

Lock with PIN or password

This type of lock is trusted. However, it loses its effectiveness when the attacker manages to see the device screen, using hidden cameras or peeking while you unlock the phone.

Lock with pattern (available for Android only)

The lock screen pattern requires to connect some points on the screen to draw a previously set sign. As well as the PIN or password lock, it is safe until the attacker can see the unlock pattern. However, the lock screen pattern has some additional safety functions. You can enable the “invisible pattern”, that allows to connect not only dots, making it more difficult for a stranger to understand it.

Lock with facial recognition

It is always combined with one of the above technologies, making it possible to unlock the device without having to manually enter the PIN, password, or pattern. You just need to bring the smartphone to the face height. CAUTION: not all devices integrate a 3D device lock with secure facial recognition, like the Face ID system on Apple devices. 2D facial recognition blocking systems very popular on Android cannot distinguish between a real face or a photo. If an attacker makes your photo, this type of block is no more effective. Get to know the technology used in your smartphone before activating this type of screen lock.

Fingerprint lock

As well as the face recognition lock, the fingerprint lock is activated in conjunction with a PIN, password, or pattern, and allows you to unlock the device without the risk of being spied on. All you need is to place your finger on the appropriate sensor. Though it is not infallible, the fingerprint lock does not have problems, like the face recognition block, that makes it more secure than the previous one.

Summary

• Always activate the screen lock. PIN, password, and pattern locks remain the safest now, but make sure nobody can see them while you unlock the phone.
• If you need a faster screen lock, or spend a lot of time in crowded places, you can think of activating the lock with fingerprint or facial recognition (the 3D technology-based only).
• In case of the device loss or theft you can remotely block or delete all the data from the device via “Find my iPhone” for Apple devices or “Manage Android devices” for Android.

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