Your Android phone is getting a new security secret weapon - how it works

Tatiana Maksimova/Getty Images A new security feature from Google means that Android devices might soon start rebooting automatically -- and that's not a bad thing. In a recent Google Play Services update, Google details how your Android phone will soon reboot if you haven't used it for three consecutive days. How reboots help This is important for two reasons. The first is because, to open a phone after a reboot, you must enter a PIN -- no biometrics or other method of unlocking. PIN-only access means the phone, and the data on it, is harder to access for anyone with bad intentions. If you're one of the people using a phone without any sort of unlock protection, this is a significant layer of security. Also: Why rebooting your phone daily is your best defense against zero-click attacks The second reason is a little more technical, but just as important. Mobile phones have two lock states: Before first lock (BFU) and after first lock (AFU). In BFU, information and files on a phon ... Read full article.