Mobile Phone Security

One of the major trends this year is the rising use of mobile computing platforms. With the increase in the number of smartphones, netbooks, iPads, and other mobile devices, training employees on best security practices is more important than ever.

A simple thing that everyone should do is use the automatic lock feature on the phone and/or establish a password to unlock an idled phone.

Because cell phones are so small and portable, they are easier to misplace or steal than laptops. According to a survey commissioned by Pointsec, 85,000 mobile phones and 21,000 PDAs and smartphones were left on taxis in Chicago over a six-month period in 2007.

The survey also found that more than 63,000 mobile phones and 5,800 PDAs and smartphones were left in London taxis during the same six-month period.

Even with these types of loss statistics, over half of the supposedly security-conscious respondents (56%) surprisingly confessed to “not bothering” to install and use a password for their own mobile device.

Having a password is a basic and simple security precaution. It is the first line of defense against an information security breach. So, make sure you use a password on your phone and make sure the phone automatically locks after being idle for a few minutes.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend!