Concerned About Mobile Security? You Should Be!

Regardless of brand, smartphones can present a security challenge for small companies who are unlikely to have an IT department, much less a data security expert. A recent post on arstechnica.com could almost make one paranoid when thinking about smartphones in the workplace. The post said, “Spies of the Cold War would have seen smartphones as the best bugs ever invented: a tracking device which records its location down to a few feet, with a camera and microphone and which the target actively tries to carry around with them.”

ABA Legal Technology Research Center Recommends the Following:

Use a Password: Using a log-in password is the first and most important step in securing smartphone data.

Enable Encryption Features: On certain smartphones, login passwords can be used in conjunction with on-device encryption. This gives you powerful data protection that “renders data on the phone inaccessible to anyone without proper authorization. Certain Windows mobile phones, BlackBerrys and Nokia Symbian phones as well as the iPhone 3G and 4G include on-device encryption. Android phones do not currently include the feature.

Backup Your Data: Backups ensure that important smartphone data isn’t lost if the mobile device or the information kept on it is somehow destroyed. Remember to encrypt the backups.

Seek Third-Party Security Measures: There are various third-party software packages that provide added security. For instance, Lookout — available in free and premium versions for Android, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry phones — offers remote backup, remote tracking, remote data wiping, and protections against viruses and malware.

Do not “jailbreak” your phone: Jailbreaking a phone to access unsupported features could not only void the phone’s warranty, but could also make the device more susceptible to malware such as viruses and Trojans. ◆