Tech

4 Tips to Prevent Your Smartphone From Being Hacked

Published

5 years ago

December 11, 2020

There was a time when smartphone hacking was a nuisance reserved for government officials and celebrities in the public eye. But over the past year, hackers have refined their collective approach and now anyone is game — including you and me. And if you aren’t cautious, you could end up becoming the next victim of smartphone-based cyber attack.

4 Tips to Protect Your Phone

Your smartphone is your single most important digital asset. It carries more information about you than any other device. It’s basically a DNA snapshot of who you are. And if you aren’t careful, hungry hackers could compromise your phone and run off with confidential information.

Want to prevent hackers from successfully stealing your private information? You’ll need to go on the offensive. Here are a few suggestions:

Become More Vigilant

Unfortunately, we are pretty familiar with terms like virus and incubation period these days. And as you know, you don’t always experience symptoms of a virus immediately after exposure. In fact, it often takes days. And this is true with cyber attacks and digital viruses, too.

“Malware and computer viruses also possess incubation periods,” Mission Secure points out. “And during this unprecedented time of working from home and within an escalating cyber threat environment, these measures underscore the importance of remaining cyber vigilant.”

If you want to stay protected, you need to prioritize cyber vigilance. This means understanding the signs that you’ve been compromised, so that you can begin addressing the problem as soon as possible. Possible symptoms include:

You notice apps that are opening on their own.
Your battery is draining at a much faster rate than normal.
There are unusual charges on your phone bill.
You notice apps on your homescreen that you haven’t personally installed.

Mobile phone attacks are constantly evolving, so the signs and symptoms of these attacks will continue to change. However, the more vigilant you are, the more prepared you’ll be to respond with a high level of efficiency.

Implement Basic Phone Security

While there are certainly some high-level ways to protect your phone from being compromised, it all begins with observing basic phone security tips such as these:

Change your phone’s default passcode and avoid using predictable patterns (like directional patterns or all one number).
Never leave your phone unattended.
Implement biometric access options whenever possible. (Fingerprints are good, but facial recognition is better.)
Implement secure settings when it comes to Bluetooth and WiFi. Avoid settings that would allow your device to automatically connect to networks or other devices without your permission.
Never store credit card data or PIN information on your device.

Even if you do nothing else, following these tips will significantly lessen your chances of being compromised. Implement them into your daily routines and habits and you’ll be far ahead of your peers.

Be Careful With Installations

Apps are great, but they also serve as potential inroads for hackers who want to gain access to your device and the data stored on it.

“When you install a smartphone app, you may be asked to grant it various permissions, including the ability to read your files, access your camera or listen in to your microphone. There are legitimate uses for these capabilities, but they’re potentially open to abuse: think before you approve the request,” The Guardian explains.

This is especially important for Android users. Google’s vetting process for apps isn’t nearly as strict as Apple’s. (They also allow you to install apps from third-party sources, which Apple does not permit.)

Be Prepared to Track and Lock

The hope is that you’ll never have to deal with a hack of your smartphone. However, you need to operate under the assumption that you will. This means turning on all tracking and locking options and doing a “test run” so that you know what to do if you suspect your phone is compromised.

Keep Hackers at Arm’s Length

It’s no longer a question of if you’ll be targeted by hackers; it’s simply when. And when they do attack, you must be prepared in such a way that you don’t give them an inch. Because once a hacker is given ground, they’ll find a way to leverage what you’ve unintentionally allowed them to access in the first place to compromise more of your data.

Now’s the time to set up your defenses and strengthen your position. An investment in the proper defenses today will serve you well moving forward. Hopefully this article gives you some simple yet effective ways to begin.

Tech

Future Unfolding: Your Guide to the Hottest Upcoming Solana Projects

Published

2 months ago

July 19, 2025

Jonathan Grilli

If you’ve been peeking into the world of blockchain lately, you’ve probably heard whispers about some exciting upcoming Solana projects. And no, this isn’t just the usual crypto chatter. Solana’s unique combination of speed, scalability, and low fees has been turning heads in all the right ways. Now, a fresh wave of developers is flocking to the ecosystem—and what they’re building could shake up the whole game.

Whether you’re a casual investor, a tech-savvy early adopter, or just crypto-curious, knowing what’s around the corner can give you a serious edge. So grab a coffee, pull up a chair, and let’s take a closer look at where Solana is headed—and which projects might just become the next big thing.

Why Solana, and Why Now?

Let’s face it: not all chains are created equal. While Ethereum paved the way, and Bitcoin proved the concept, Solana showed up to prove that blockchains could be fast—really fast—without costing an arm and a leg to use. With transaction speeds clocking in at 65,000 per second (yep, you read that right) and fees that cost less than a penny, it’s no wonder developers are pouring in.

More importantly, Solana’s infrastructure opens up real creative freedom. Think dynamic NFTs, high-performance games, instant DeFi transactions, and next-gen social platforms. It’s like going from dial-up to fiber optic. And when does that kind of power meet an ambitious dev community? Sparks fly.

The Landscape: What’s Already Built

Before we dive into what’s coming, let’s talk briefly about what’s already here. Solana is no stranger to heavy hitters. Projects like:

Phantom (one of the smoothest crypto wallets out there)
Magic Eden (a major NFT marketplace)
Serum (a decentralized exchange engine)

…have already helped solidify Solana as a serious player in the Web3 world. But even more exciting is what hasn’t launched yet—the next wave of innovation that’s currently under wraps, in beta, or being whispered about in dev channels and alpha groups.

Categories to Watch

Let’s break this down a bit. These upcoming projects aren’t just NFTs or DeFi. They span several categories, and each one is pushing boundaries in its own way.

1. Gaming on Solana

Blockchain gaming is no joke anymore. We’re talking full-blown metaverses, player-owned economies, and real-time experiences that don’t feel like retro arcade games.

Projects like Aurory and Star Atlas are leading the charge, but newer games like Eizper Chain and Synergy Land are gaining steam. They aim to blend AAA-style graphics with actual on-chain mechanics, where players earn, trade, and even govern the game’s economy. Imagine a gaming world where your loot actually means something.

2. Next-Gen DeFi Platforms

Solana’s speed is a dream for decentralized finance. It eliminates lag and lowers gas costs, making it more attractive for traders and builders alike.

Keep your eye on platforms like Zeta Markets (for options trading), Mango Markets V4 (the next iteration of Solana’s leveraged trading platform), and Drift Protocol, which is all about smart margin trading. These platforms are redesigning financial systems—not just copying them.

3. Social and Creator Economies

You know how creators are always looking for ways to monetize without getting gouged by middlemen? Solana’s low-fee, high-throughput nature makes it perfect for social and creator platforms.

Projects like Grape Protocol, Only1, and Dialect are cooking up decentralized alternatives to Instagram, Patreon, and WhatsApp. Instead of centralized platforms owning your audience, you do. Finally, some freedom in the feed.

4. Infrastructure and Tools

Not every exciting project is consumer-facing. Some of the most powerful tools are being built quietly in the background.

Look out for GenesysGo, Helius, and SolanaFM—they’re building things like RPC networks, data explorers, and indexing solutions that help the entire ecosystem run smoother. It’s like paving roads before the cars show up.

How to Spot a Winner

Okay, so you’re excited. But how do you separate future stars from vaporware?

Check the Team

Do they have experience? Are they doxxed? Are they shipping updates consistently? A solid team isn’t shy about transparency.

Look at the Community

Great projects build great tribes. Join their Discord. Scroll through their Twitter. Are people engaged, or is it just hype?

Watch for Utility

Does this project solve an actual problem or improve something that already exists? If it’s just a reskinned NFT mint or copy-paste DeFi fork, maybe move along.

Follow the Builders

Founders often share sneak peeks, updates, and philosophies that give you insight into where a project is heading. Social platforms like X, Farcaster, and even dev blogs can be surprisingly revealing.

How to Stay in the Loop

Alpha doesn’t wait for newsletters. If you want to stay ahead, plug into:

Solana Hacker Houses and hackathons (they often preview upcoming talent)
Podcasts like Solana Breakpoint or Lightspeed
Research-focused Discord servers and Telegram groups
GitHub activity and dev toolkits

This stuff moves fast, but not without leaving clues. Pay attention to who’s building, not just who’s trending.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Chase, Anticipate

When everyone talked about it, the train had probably left the station. The trick with upcoming Solana projects is to think like a scout, not a fan. You want to spot the early signals, the creative builders, and the untapped problems being solved in clever ways.

Solana’s ecosystem isn’t just expanding—it’s evolving. As more serious capital, creators, and developers enter the space, the opportunities multiply. Stay sharp, do your homework, and remember: the best projects often start quietly.

In a world full of copycats, bet on the originals. That’s where tomorrow’s magic lives.