Mobile security: Stay secure on the move25 October 2005
According to analyst firm Gartner the number of mobile devices equipped with email is likely to reach around 80 million worldwide over the course of the next three years.
And a number of experts in the mobile device industry are warning that despite publicity about the virus threat, businesses should be concerned with data security regarding their devices.
UK encryption company Be Crypt recently investigated some mobile devices bought on eBay to assess data security. The experiment found that a fifth of them contained stored data that would leave the former user open to identity and data theft, yet almost all had undergone data deletion or had been reformatted.
While devices like PDAs or BlackBerrys are becoming an essential tool for small business operations on the move, it is clear that adequate security measures should be taken to protect valuable company and individual information. This involves the encryption of information against the threat of loss or theft, and the secure deletion of data that is no longer required.
Data encryption
Companies typically protect mobile devices using simple authentification processes such as codes and passwords, but these do not offer complete protection for data stored within should the device be lost or stolen.
But many handheld devices are now offering built in virtual private network encryption as a more effective way to keep business data safe, and there are a number of off-the-shelf software packages available. Encryption works by transferring data into coded form, which may then be decoded by the recipient using a key through their device. This can be made more secure through the use of digital certificates. Credant offers a business system, called the Mobile Guardian Enterprise Edition 4.3 and PointSec offers a range of encryption solutions for both PCs and mobile devices.
Data deletion
Home Office figures reveal that around 100,000 people are hit by identity theft each year, generating costs of over £1.3 billion annually. People in the UK are becoming aware that disposing of sensitive data such as bank information securely is vital, but few are aware that the same rules apply to files stored on a computer or mobile device.See our previous feature on other ways to protect your identity when online.
It is important to ensure that as a business, as much as possible is done to protect data even after you think it has been deleted. This can be achieved through the use of a specialist data wiper, a software package or the physical destruction of the device.
There are a number of software products that offer secure wiping of data from computers and mobile devices. Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 offers the ability to wipe data remotely in the event of loss or theft, and DiskLabs X-Ways Data shredder cleanses data securely. For more information regarding data security visit the Business Link website.
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