Your smartphone, the pocket-sized personal computer in your purse, needs backup and security features to protect it from viruses and more. (Malware threats to mobile phones rose 2.5 times in the last six months alone! FYI: read this report.)
I have an Android phone and downloaded Lookout for my security app. It’s free and is available for Blackberry and Windows Mobile devices, too. (If you have an iPhone, what security do you recommend? I believe Lookout will be available for your phone soon.)
Lookout backs up my data and protects my phone from viruses. If my phone is lost or stolen (and the GPS feature is turned on) I can remotely:
- track it down, or
- lock it, or
- wipe it.
If you’re traveling, then, you might want to keep your GPS feature turned on, even though it runs down your battery sooner; however, see the related important post about taking photos with your phone when GPS is turned on.
You might also consider a password for your phone to protect your data.
This post is part of the Love Your Phone series for phones and tablets.
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You definitely need a passcode if your phone receives data wirelessly (basically, any iPhone, Blackberry, Android, etc.). If someone steals your phone, all they have to do is turn it off or put it in airplane mode and the remote wipe, track down, or lock down does not work. In airplane mode, they have full access to everything already downloaded on your phone (like your emails) and the phone cannot be controlled remotely. And yes, your emails are confidential. You have too much in your email for it not to be a big deal if someone gets in. It would be pretty easy for someone to commit identity theft or fraud through the amount of information on your phone.
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Thanks, Tara, for encouraging us to use a passcode! A phone is a lot easier to lose or misplace than an iPad or laptop.
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