Every lady has the right to get her naked selfie on, but here’s the thing: Those sexy pics of you don’t always stay between you and the lucky person you’re sending them to. And when those photos get loose, they’re pretty much impossible to take back. What’s worse, those leaked images can seriously screw with your future. But before you commit to a life of Amish-level technology use, you should know that there are things you can do to help keep those naughty snaps safe.
Although you’re probably not as big of a target as Jennifer Lawrence, hacking can happen to anybody. Here’s how it usually goes down: A stranger or even someone you know gets into your private accounts, like your e-mail, your iCloud, or your laptop hard drive, by guessing your password or using a program to crack it—and then they might stumble upon your sexy pics. And whether or not that digital intruder is actually hunting down your racy photos, if he or she finds them, they could end up on porn- or public-sharing sites, says software architect and entrepreneur Joe Siegrist, CEO and co-founder of LastPass, a digital password security manager.
“Apart from using a Polaroid camera and storing those photos in a safe tucked in the foundation of your house, there’s really no safe way to take or store naked selfies,†says Siegrist. That said, you can beef up your digital security to protect those sexts.
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First, protect your phone 007-style by enabling encryption, the process that makes info and photos on your phone invisible until you enter a password. It sounds high-tech, but you don’t need security clearance to use this feature on your phone. It’s usually a default setting listed as “Data protection is enabled†in your settings. If you don’t see this on your device, take your iPhone to the Genius Bar, and they’ll set it up for you for free, says Siegrist. If you have an Android, take it back to wherever you purchased it from, and ask them to enable encryption.
You can also do it yourself by going into “Settings,†then “Touch ID Passcode,†and add a password or fingerprint to encrypt your phone. For an Android, go into the Android apps screen, tap the “Settings†icon, the “More†tab, the “Security†icon, and then the “Encrypt Device†option, he says.
Next, cut your ties to the cloud. If you’re using iCloud or Google Drive to free up storage space on your phone, your photos will be saved there, too. If you have the autosync or autobackup settings turned on, shut them off.
To turn them off on an Android device with Google Drive, Siegrist says to open the Google Photos app. Touch the menu icon at the top left. Select “Settings,†then “Back Up Sync,†and switch it to the off position. To change the setting on an Apple device using iCloud, go to “Settings,†then “Photos Camera,†and turn off “My Photo Stream.â€
Still want to store your pics on a server? Use a secure storage service, like Wuala, SpiderOak, or TarSnap, which scrambles your data and doesn’t save the encryption key (i.e., the secret algorithm that’s used to scramble and unscramble the data) so a security breech doesn’t leave your birthday suit photos exposed.
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If you’re itching to send a nude photo of yourself to your S.O., Siegrist says to forget SnapChat because the recipient can take a screenshot. Instead, download Wuala, upload the photos you want to send, and then share it with your trusted beau. He will receive a link to access the files you sent him. “At that point, remember that even if you trust the person, the files are no longer in your control,†says Siegrist. So don’t send pics to someone you don’t know well enough to trust with such personal stuff. (We know you know. But seriously, be careful.)
It’s a good idea to keep your phone to yourself, says Patrick Nielsen, senior security researcher at the software security group Kaspersky Lab. Letting a friend borrow your phone gives them the power to send your sensitive snaps out to the world or to their own phones, he says.
If your iPhone is stolen while it’s full of your naked pictures, go to apple.com, and click Find My Phone to track and remotely delete all your precious data. For Android devices, which don’t have a similar service, download an app like the Google Apps Device Policy, which can locate a lost device and remotely lock your phone so intruders can’t access your pics.
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In addition to keeping your phone on lockdown, make sure your computer is equally protected. A simple password change could save you from creepers trying break in, says Nielsen. But don’t just go with a six-character word and your street number, he says. Instead, use a random phrase like ConsiderThePurpleSeahorseClickingTheRoof. If there isn’t enough room a lengthy password, take the first letter of each word, CTPSLTR, and combine it with numbers or symbols or mix the first letters of that phrase around for extra protection. You have to admit that’s a lot harder to crack than MrsGosling85.
If you want to go super heavy-duty, download an app like Google Authenticator, which requires a second verification any time you log in to your computer, says Siegrist, the CEO of LastPass. After you enter your password, you’ll receive a text message or voicemail with a unique code to enter that’s active for 60 seconds, says Siegrist. This extra step will help deter anyone snooping on your laptop.
When you’re ready to kiss those sexy selfies on your phone goodbye, make sure you also delete them from anything that’s synced with your device, like your computer or any picture-storing services like the Google Photos app, says Nielsen.