You don’t need to be a tech expert to keep your phone secure. You just need to know where to tap. From sneaky, data-hungry apps to overlooked settings that leak sensitive information, your iPhone or Android device may be exposing more than you realize.

The good news? Making just a few tweaks to your settings can instantly boost your privacy, reduce tracking and give you more control over your digital life.

Here are five safety-boosting settings you can (and should) turn on today. No complicated apps or tools required. Just smart, built-in features that protect your information behind the scenes.

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IS YOUR PHONE HACKED? HOW TO TELL AND WHAT TO DO

A woman updating her settings on her smartphone  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

This article is based on tests conducted using an iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 18.5 and a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with One UI 7.0 on Android 15. Results and instructions may vary depending on your device model and software version.

1. Limit ad tracking

Because your phone shouldn’t sell your behavior

Apps love your data, especially when it helps them target ads. On iPhone and Android, apps can track what you do across other apps and websites unless you say otherwise. Here’s what to look for:

You keep seeing the same weirdly specific ad after searching for something once. Or you download a game, and suddenly ads know your location, interests and habits.

Here’s how to stop the tracking:

On iPhone:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking → Toggle off “Allow Apps to Request to Track.”

“Allow Apps to Request to Track” toggle on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

On Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer 

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Settings > Google > All services > Ads → Turn off “Ad personalization” or choose “Delete advertising ID” for more privacy.

This won’t block all ads, but it prevents apps from tracking your activity.

“Delete advertising ID” for more privacy on Android (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

2. Turn off lock screen previews

Because anyone can see your texts, even when your phone is locked

By default, many phones show message previews on the lock screen. Sounds convenient, until someone sees your two-factor authentication code, private message or bank alert over your shoulder.

You’ll want to change this if:

• You leave your phone face-up at work
• You use SMS for 2FA
• You’ve had someone “casually” glance at your lock screen

Here’s how to hide those previews:

On iPhone:
Settings > Notifications > Show Previews → Set to “When Unlocked.”

On Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer 

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Settings > Notifications > Lock Screen notifications → Choose “Hide content” or, on some Android phones, it might say “Don’t show sensitive content” (which hides sensitive content like message previews on the lock screen).

You’ll still get alerts, but what’s inside stays private.

3. Audit app permissions

Because that flashlight app doesn’t need your location

Over time, apps can quietly collect more permissions than they need, accessing your camera, microphone, contacts or even location without you noticing. You might be giving away too much if:

• An app you barely use still has mic access
• You’ve never checked which apps can track your location
• You’ve had the same apps since 2017 and never reviewed them

Here’s how to review and revoke apps:

On iPhone:
Settings > Privacy & Security → Tap Location Services, Camera, Microphone, etc. to see what apps have access.

On Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer 

Settings > Security and privacy > More privacy settings > Permission Manager → Review permissions by category.

Revoke anything that doesn’t make sense. Your phone will still work just fine.

A man typing on a smartphone. (iStock)

4. Keep Bluetooth off when not in use

Because hackers love an open connection

Bluetooth is great for headphones and smartwatches, but it’s also a known entry point for cybercriminals using “bluesnarfing” or other attacks to siphon data. The risk goes up if:

• You leave Bluetooth on 24/7
• You connect to public or rental car Bluetooth systems
• You don’t recognize every device paired with your phone

Here’s a quick fix:

Swipe down from the top right of your screen to access your Control Center (iPhone) or Quick Settings (Android), and toggle Bluetooth off (A blue stylized “B” symbol shaped by two angular runes resembling “ᛒ” joined vertically) when not in use. Less is more when it comes to open channels.

5. Enable automatic software updates

Because outdated phones are hacker magnets

Software updates don’t just bring new features; they patch critical vulnerabilities that hackers rely on to break into phones.

Red flags:

• You keep hitting “Remind Me Later” on updates
• Your phone is more than one version behind
• You’ve never checked if auto-updates are on

Here’s how to turn it on and forget it:

On iPhone:
Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates → Enable both toggles.

On Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer 

Settings >  Software Update > Auto-download or Auto-install updates (may vary by device)

One of the simplest, strongest defenses you can set.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

You don’t need a tinfoil hat to take phone security seriously, just a few quick changes to how your device behaves. Small things, such as hiding message previews, checking app permissions and disabling Bluetooth can make a big difference in protecting your personal information. And, remember, phone security isn’t a one-time deal. Stay curious, keep your software updated and check in on your settings periodically, just as you would with your bank or email accounts.

Got questions about phone safety? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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Cybercriminals continually seek new ways to expose you to phishing and scam sites designed to steal your credentials or install malware that can compromise your personal data and system. Although browsers and search engines like Chrome and Google Search actively scan and take action against spam and malicious sites, they rely on automated tools to manage the huge volume of threats.

Recently, hackers have developed AI-powered cloaking software that enables them to bypass these scanners by showing benign pages to security systems while revealing harmful content only to real users. This advanced cloaking technique significantly increases the effectiveness and durability of phishing and malware sites, making it harder for traditional detection methods to protect you.

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HOW AI CHATBOTS ARE HELPING HACKERS TARGET YOUR BANKING ACCOUNTS

A phone with Google Chrome open  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

AI-powered web cloaking is here to trick you

As discovered by researchers at Slashnext, cybercriminals are adopting a new tactic that makes scam websites nearly invisible to the security systems meant to stop them. Known as web cloaking, the technique uses artificial intelligence to hide phishing pages, fake storefronts, and malware delivery sites from automated scanners while showing them only to human victims.

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Platforms like Hoax Tech and JS Click Cloaker are emerging as key players in this trend. While both market themselves as traffic filtering tools for digital marketers, they are also being used to protect criminal infrastructure. These services use advanced fingerprinting, machine learning, and real-time decision-making to control what each visitor sees.

A laptop with Google Chrome open  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How cloaking tools outsmart detection systems

Hoax Tech analyzes hundreds of data points to build a digital fingerprint of every visitor, from their browser configuration and plugins to their geographic location and IP history. The company’s AI engine, called Matchex, compares this data to a massive database of known crawlers and security scanners. If the system detects a suspicious visitor, it redirects them to a clean, harmless site. If it identifies the visitor as legitimate, it displays the actual scam content.

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JS Click Cloaker takes a similar approach but claims to evaluate over 900 parameters per visit. The system scans for behavioral anomalies and uses historical click data to decide whether to allow access to the real page. It also includes features like traffic splitting and A/B testing, giving its users a suite of tools more commonly seen in professional marketing software.

At the core of both platforms is the “white page” and “black page” system. The system shows security scanners the white page, which looks benign and passes review. It serves human victims the black page, which contains the scam or malicious payload. This selective targeting allows phishing campaigns and fraudulent sites to stay live longer and avoid detection.

A laptop with Google Chrome open   (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

6 ways you can stay safe from cloaked scam sites

Cybercriminals are increasingly adopting advanced cloaking tools to evade detection, which is making it harder for people to spot malicious websites. Still, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk:

1. Stick to trusted sources: Avoid clicking on links from unknown senders or sketchy websites, even if they appear in ads or social media posts. Type URLs directly when possible.

2. Use strong antivirus software: A strong antivirus software can help analyze suspicious links and sites before you open them. 

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at CyberGuy.com/LockUpYourTech

3. Use security-focused browsers: Built-in protections in browsers like Firefox and Brave can help block suspicious scripts and trackers.

4. Keep your software updated: Regular updates to your browser, operating system, and antivirus software ensure you have the latest security patches.

5. Be cautious with login pages: If a site asks for your credentials unexpectedly, verify the URL and domain name carefully. Cloaked phishing pages can look nearly identical to the real thing.

6. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Even if your credentials are stolen, 2FA can act as a final line of defense against account takeover by requiring a pin which is generated through an authenticator app or is sent to your phone or email.

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Kurt’s key takeaway

AI-powered cloaking is making it increasingly difficult to track and take down malicious sites. The result is a fast-growing market for what is essentially cloaking-as-a-service. These tools are inexpensive, easy to use, and designed to work at scale. For cybercriminals, cloaking is no longer a fringe tactic but a core part of their toolkit. While you may still be unaware of these tools, they are already reshaping how digital fraud operates behind the scenes.

Do you think browsers and search engines are doing enough to protect you from advanced scams like these? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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As demand for clean energy grows, so does the need for smarter storage solutions. Lithium-ion batteries are leading the charge, but they don’t last forever. That creates a big problem: what do we do with all the dead batteries? 

Thanks to a new method developed by researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), we may finally have an answer. This scalable and eco-friendly recycling technique transforms old batteries back into high-performing, next-gen components, with minimal environmental impact. 

Let’s break down how this innovation works and why it matters for a sustainable energy future.

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HUMANOID ROBOT SWAPS ITS OWN BATTERY TO WORK 24/7

The image shows a component related to lithium-ion battery recycling technology  (WPI)

Why lithium-ion batteries need a second life

From your phone to electric vehicles and even power grids, lithium-ion batteries are everywhere. They offer unmatched energy density and can scale to meet large infrastructure demands. However, there’s a catch. Even with optimal use, these batteries wear out after a few thousand charge cycles. When they die, they leave behind components such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese, materials that are expensive and environmentally damaging to mine. Without a solid plan for recycling, the clean energy revolution could create a very dirty problem.

The problem with traditional battery recycling

Standard recycling methods aren’t quite up to the task. They’re energy-intensive, generate significant emissions, and often fail to recover materials in usable form. This means many recycled batteries can’t be turned into new, high-performing ones. As a result, manufacturers continue to mine for raw materials, causing further environmental harm. That’s why scientists have been searching for a better way to close the loop.

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WPI’s clean, scalable solution: A hydrometallurgical upgrade

Led by Professor Yan Wang, the WPI team developed a method that uses hydrometallurgy to extract critical metals from spent Ni-lean cathodes, then upcycles them into Ni-rich 83Ni cathode materials, which are used in next-generation batteries. Here’s what makes it revolutionary:

• 92.31 mol% utilization of recycled materials
• Converts outdated Ni-lean materials into high-performance Ni-rich (83Ni) cathodes
• Recycled cathodes retain 88% capacity after 500 cycles (in single-layer pouch cells)
• Maintain 85% capacity after ~900 cycles (in 2Ah commercial-grade pouch cells)
• Uses 8.6% less energy than conventional processes
• Cuts carbon emissions by 13.9%
• Reduces cathode production costs by over 76% compared to other recycling methods

While still in research, this method is on a fast track to real-world deployment. Wang is also a co-founder of Ascend Elements, a company already commercializing battery recycling, so this tech may hit manufacturing floors sooner than you think.

Professor Yan Wang working in the lab at WPI  (WPI)

Why this matters for clean energy and supply chains

Battery waste is piling up, and mining for fresh materials isn’t sustainable. Wang’s team has proven that high-performance batteries can be made from recycled components at scale. 

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This reduces our dependence on destructive mining operations, lowers emissions, and makes battery manufacturing more resilient to global supply shocks. Even better? These recycled batteries perform just as well as new ones. Unlike traditional methods that recover raw metals but degrade performance, this upcycling process regenerates high-value cathodes with next-gen chemistry, turning old batteries into components even better aligned with today’s EV and storage systems.

Image of a lithium battery  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What this means for you

If you rely on a smartphone, drive an EV, or use a laptop daily, this research affects you. The push toward clean energy is not just about wind turbines and solar panels. It’s about making the entire system, including batteries, more sustainable. Right now, most of us toss old devices without thinking about where the battery ends up. But that battery contains valuable metals, metals that are expensive to mine and harmful to extract.

This new method from WPI means future batteries in your devices could be made from sustainably recycled materials, without sacrificing performance. That helps keep costs down, reduces toxic waste, and shrinks your personal carbon footprint. These high-performance recycled batteries could soon power electric vehicles, solar-powered homes, and even the devices in your pocket, bringing sustainability directly into your life. Plus, as governments and companies invest in battery-powered everything, innovations like this help ensure there are enough materials to go around, without ripping more resources out of the ground.

Kurt’s key takeaways

This innovation could become a cornerstone of the circular battery economy, where old batteries fuel new technology without harming the planet. WPI’s approach doesn’t just tackle waste. It redefines how we think about energy storage in a world that urgently needs sustainable solutions.

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Would you trust a car or device powered by recycled battery components, or are you still holding out for “new” to mean “better”? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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I read a geeky article that I think you’ll also find amazing. 

Google quietly used its Android operating system to turn billions of phones into the largest earthquake detection network in human history.

Your Android phone can warn you about an earthquake before the shaking even starts. It’s built right in. You can do the same with your iPhone, too.

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iPhones don’t come with built-in earthquake warnings, but there are apps you can use, like MyShake, that send them from official networks. (J Pat Carter/Getty Images)

How it works 

Earthquakes begin with fast, subtle P-waves. Those are the early rumbles most people don’t feel at all. But your phone’s accelerometer (yep, the same sensor that knows when you turn your phone sideways) can detect those waves. 

When enough Android phones in the same area sense the same motion, Google’s system kicks in and sends early alerts to people who are about to get hit by the stronger, slower S-waves. Those are the ones that cause damage.

This gives you 15 to 60 seconds of warning. Not much time, but enough to move away from windows, duck under a desk or stop that ladder climb. Seconds matter when the ground starts rolling.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT THESE VIDEO TOOLS, YOU’RE ALREADY BEHIND

Google has single-handedly transformed Android phones into the world’s largest earthquake detection system. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

This isn’t just theoretical

According to a study in Science, the Android-based earthquake detection network caught over 11,000 real earthquakes between 2021 and 2024. 

It covers 98 countries and pushes out around 18 million alerts a month. 

In some cases, people had over a minute’s notice before the shaking started. And false alarms? Just three total across more than 1,300 confirmed events. Try getting those odds from your weather app. That’s incredible for a free feature hiding in your phone.

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Even if you don’t live on the San Andreas Fault, make sure the setting is on in case you travel to an area where you need it:

• Open Settings, tap Safety & emergency.
• Tap Earthquake Alerts. Make sure it’s turned on.
• Tap Test Alert to preview what it sounds like.

Got a Wear OS smartwatch? It’ll buzz your wrist, too, even if your phone’s in another room.

Regardless of what smartphone you use, there are ways to use your device to detect earthquakes before they happen. (iStock)

What about iPhones?

Apple hasn’t enrolled in Quake University (yet). Though iPhones have accelerometers, too, Apple doesn’t use them for earthquake detection. If you’re on Team iPhone, use the free MyShake to get alerts from official seismic networks.

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