Securing your Data on your Mobile
If you own a mobile phone, you will all know the feeling. That sick sense of dread in the bottom of the gut. Usually half way to the train station you realize you have forgotten something. Even worse, it’s an item you really need. It’s a bit like under arm deodorant, almost impossible to get through the day without it. Oh God!! Yes, you’ve left your mobile at home.
Do you go back for it? Do you think you can get through the day without it? People are going to be calling you and they will all be important. You will need to call people and you’re important. These thoughts all race through your brain as you slowly crawl further away from your house. You start to perspire, indecision. You will miss the train if you go back, or be late for that early meeting. But gee, it’s like underwear, it is far more comfortable when you know you are wearing it. Bugger it, decision made, you can’t survive without and back you go.
After 10 minutes of frantic searching you realise why you didn’t take the phone in the first place. You can’t find it! No home phone line anymore, so you can’t ring the mobile to locate it.
Did you bring it home from the night out? Did you leave it in the taxi or at the take-away shop? Where did you last use it? You think of the cost of a replacement. Then ultimately it dawns on you, your whole life is on that phone.
Whoever may have it – will have it all.
All of your contact numbers. Those personal texts you have saved. What about those photos you have taken and stored. The passwords and PIN numbers saved in the contacts. Next month’s schedule and diary notes. Of course if you don’t have a password that encrypts your phone, it’s very possible that all this information is in the hands of someone with sinister tendencies. It could be your photos posted on the net or phone calls to your friends and family.
If all this has a familiar ring to it, then it is an important reminder to keep your information on your mobile phone safe and secure. I have put together some simple tips that should help and ensure you get the best possible experience out of using your mobile, and give you a little comfort, should your phone fall into the wrong hands.
Keep a close eye on your mobile phone, don’t leave it lying around.
Turn on your security features. All mobile phones have security settings so familiarize yourself with them and turn them on.
Set a password or PIN. To protect your personal information, set your mobile phone to ask for a password or PIN each time you use it.
Don’t save passwords or PINs as contacts in your mobile phone.
Note down your phone’s unique identity (IMEI) number in case it’s lost or stolen.
Do you go back for it? Do you think you can get through the day without it? People are going to be calling you and they will all be important. You will need to call people and you’re important. These thoughts all race through your brain as you slowly crawl further away from your house. You start to perspire, indecision. You will miss the train if you go back, or be late for that early meeting. But gee, it’s like underwear, it is far more comfortable when you know you are wearing it. Bugger it, decision made, you can’t survive without and back you go.
After 10 minutes of frantic searching you realise why you didn’t take the phone in the first place. You can’t find it! No home phone line anymore, so you can’t ring the mobile to locate it.
Did you bring it home from the night out? Did you leave it in the taxi or at the take-away shop? Where did you last use it? You think of the cost of a replacement. Then ultimately it dawns on you, your whole life is on that phone.
Whoever may have it – will have it all.
All of your contact numbers. Those personal texts you have saved. What about those photos you have taken and stored. The passwords and PIN numbers saved in the contacts. Next month’s schedule and diary notes. Of course if you don’t have a password that encrypts your phone, it’s very possible that all this information is in the hands of someone with sinister tendencies. It could be your photos posted on the net or phone calls to your friends and family.
If all this has a familiar ring to it, then it is an important reminder to keep your information on your mobile phone safe and secure. I have put together some simple tips that should help and ensure you get the best possible experience out of using your mobile, and give you a little comfort, should your phone fall into the wrong hands.
Keep a close eye on your mobile phone, don’t leave it lying around.
Turn on your security features. All mobile phones have security settings so familiarize yourself with them and turn them on.
Set a password or PIN. To protect your personal information, set your mobile phone to ask for a password or PIN each time you use it.
Don’t save passwords or PINs as contacts in your mobile phone.
Note down your phone’s unique identity (IMEI) number in case it’s lost or stolen.
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