This summer, we are presenting a series of blog posts to aid you in enhancing your personal cybersecurity. The challenges will start out quick and easy and increase in complexity as a new one is released each week. See if you can get all of them done and encourage people in your life to do them with you.

First Challenge: App Delete

Check your smartphone or tablet for apps you no longer use and delete them.

Why?

New vulnerabilities crop up daily for apps and other software. Perhaps the app is no longer supported, which means it stays vulnerable as there are no patches or security updates being made. And that app, the one you don’t even use anymore, is living on your phone or tablet, putting your online identity at risk. That’s why it’s important to clean up your digital footprint from time to time.

Also, apps ask for permission to access parts of and information on our devices such as contact list, photos, location, etc. Deleting unused apps also deletes future access to your information.

Here are some pointers for how to delete those apps:

For iOS devices like Apple iPhones:

1. Use your finger to press and hold any app icon.
2. An x should appear over all icons and they should jiggle from side to side.
3. Use the x to delete any apps you no longer want.

Additional information for iOS app removal is here.

For Android devices:

1. Open up the Google Play Store app.
2. Go to the Menu and select My apps & games.
3. Select an app or game and select uninstall.

Additional information for Android app removal is here.

That’s it for the first to-do in the Summer Cyber-Security Challenge!