Losing a smartphone can throw its owner into a tailspin, seeing as how so much information is on that little device – emails, contact lists and appointment reminders, to name but a few items. Add to the stress of losing a smartphone the threat of ID fraud and the importance of securing such devices becomes all the more prevalent.
An infographic published by BACKGROUND CHECK on Visual.ly is helping smartphone owners protect the data on their devices by listing apps that can help track down a lost smartphone and information on just what the finder – or thief – of a smartphone might look at on the device.
For example, as illustrated on the infographic, a computer security firm ‘lost’ 50 smartphones around the US and Canada, tracked the phones’ locations and what the finders checked out on the phones.
Overall, 89pc of finders of the phones clicked on something they shouldn’t have, such as a file labelled ‘private photos’ or an app labelled ‘online banking’. So the three-quarters of smartphone owners who do not password protect their phones, take note.
Among the tips the infographic offers smartphones owners is for them to change the lock-screen wallpaper so it displays the owner’s name, email address and alternate contact number to help hasten the return of the phone if it is lost.
To round out the infographic is information on what smartphone owners can do if they lose their phones and what to do if they find a phone.
