{"id":11173,"date":"2012-02-16T21:05:00","date_gmt":"2012-02-17T02:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rbach.net\/blog\/?p=11173"},"modified":"2021-08-10T18:36:33","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T22:36:33","slug":"better-mobile-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rbach.net\/index.php\/better-mobile-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Better Mobile Security"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Better<\/a>Smartphone users should be concerned about mobile security. This is more true if the mobile device is used for work and has your employer\u2019s email or messaging server. IT staff can take steps to protect the data on the mobile. Eric Geier<\/a>, the founder of NoWiresSecurity<\/a> writes<\/a> provided CIO Update<\/em><\/a> with 6 tips for better mobile device security.<\/p>\n

\"Choose<\/a>Tip No. 1 – Choose a mobile OS<\/a> that supports encryption and use it<\/strong>: Mr. Greer says to make sure the mobile operating system (OS) and device support hardware-based encryption. The article says Apple’s<\/a> (AAPL<\/a>) iOS<\/a> and Research In Motion\u2019s<\/a> (RIMM<\/a>) BlackBerry<\/a> support encryption for both internal and external storage. Without encryption, it\u2019s possible that someone could recover the data on the device even without your lock PIN or password.<\/p>\n

Full device encryption is limited and varies on current Android device manufactures. Mr. Greer writes that Motorola<\/a>\u00a0Mobility’s (MSI<\/a>) business-oriented smartphones offer encryption capabilities on Android 2.3<\/a>. Android 3.x includes an API to help developers offer encryption on tablets. Android<\/a> 4.x tablets and smartphones should support encryption sometime in 2012. WhisperCore is a third-party encryption solution that is in beta for Nexus S and Nexus One.<\/p>\n

\"Set<\/a>Tip No. 2 – Set a lock PIN or password:<\/strong> The article says that enabling a password, whether it\u2019s called a PIN, passcode, or passphrase, is the first line of defense in maintaining privacy and security. It helps prevent others from picking up your phone or device and snooping around if it becomes lost, stolen, or just left unattended. It\u2019s also usually required if encryption is enabled on the device writes the author. A PIN will protect data and privacy from causal snoopers.<\/p>\n

Tip No. 3 – Enable auto-wiping of data:<\/strong> Most mobile OSes support automatic wiping of the device\u2019s data after a certain number of incorrect passwords attempts. Mr. Greer says auto-wiping is natively supported by iOS, Windows Phone<\/a> 7, and BlackBerry<\/a>. Android<\/a> requires a third-party app, such as Autowipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It is important to keep all your data regularly backed up so the data can be restored to a new mobile after it is wiped.<\/p>\n

\"Setup<\/a>Tip No. 4 – Setup remote tracking and management:<\/strong> Before your phone or device gets misplaced or stolen the blog recommends that a remote tracking and management system should be set up. Most let you see the device\u2019s GPS location on a map, send audible alerts to help you find it, and display a visual message to tell others how to return it. They typically also let you remotely lock and\/or wipe it before someone else gets their hands on it. According to Mr. Greer:<\/p>\n