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Android phones are popular, cumulatively overtaking iPhones in units sold. With great success, comes great risk for hackers, however.

Like any computer device, they come with risks. So check out these five tips to protect your phone from Android malware. 

1) Password protect your phone

It's somewhat amazing, the number of people that do not password protect their phones. What kind of information do you have on your phone? Pictures? Videos? Contacts? E-mail access? Payment information? If someone picked up your phone, how many seconds would it take them to access critical information? 

If you haven't password protected your phone, you have basically handed would-be thieves the keys to your castle. There are four main options for password protecting your phone, here they are listed in order of most to least secure: the Fingerprint Lock, the Password Lock, PIN Lock and the Pattern Lock, CIO.com reports. Using any one of these Android password security options is better than not using one at all.

2) Avoid Android apps from outside Google's Android Market

While downloading apps from only Google's Android Market does not remove all app related risks, it is safer than other sources. Google has taken steps to bolster the Android Market's security; it has a major incentive to do so. When it comes to other markets, it's really caveat emptor (buyer beware). 

3) Customize Locked Home Screen with Owner Info

If you lost your phone, how could someone find you in order to return it? If your phone wasn't locked, it would be easy for them to browse through the phone and try to locate you, but for the reasons stated above, we don't advise going that route. So here is a cool alternative: add your information to your home screen.

It takes a little bit of work to do this, as it is not a native function of Android. The Phone Found Android apps look like a good choice, available at the low, low price of free. 

4) Android Malware Antivirus

Many people are not aware that you can get a virus on your smartphone. It's true, so it's wise to protect yourself and your precious little mobile. There are a number of Android apps that can keep an eye on your phone and put a stop to any monkey business. Lookout Mobile Security, was suggested by CIO.com. It's available as a free download. 

5) Password Manager

Here's something that frequently gets overlooked: passwords. With all the sites that we visit these days, many people use the same password on every site. This is a big mistake. All it takes is for one person to get access to your password and they can launch Android malware and hurt you across the internet: banking, email, data...the list goes on and on. 

Avoid this situation by using Android apps like mSecure Password Manager, which sells for $4.99. It encrypts stores your passwords as well as any other information you desire, using 256-bit encryption, which probably beats whatever password you're using at the moment. 

Related Resources:

• Android User Beware of Malware Apps Scam (FindLaw's Common Law)
• How do You Like Them Apps: RockYou Sued For Security Breach (Findlaw's Common Law) 
• FCC to Apple: Why the Google iPhone App Ban? (Findlaw's Technologist)