Everywhere lately I am reading about how to protect one’s identity from phone loss or theft.  In recent weeks it is even more so.  This topic is without doubt something we all need to be aware of, and should do  something about.  Are you at risk of putting your identity in jeopardy because you have not taken the steps to add restrictions on your phone?

What are your risks today?  Have you ever lost your phone?  Do you think security on your device is important?  Don’t think so ? Below is a small part of an article that appeared in the New York Times recently.  I urge you to click on the link after the brief summary to get the full story.

Chuck Bokath would be terrifying if he were not such a nice guy. A jovial senior engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta, Mr. Bokath can hack into your cellphone just by dialing the number. He can remotely listen to your calls, read your text messages, snap pictures with your phone’s camera and track your movements around town — not to mention access the password to your online bank account. via Protecting a Cellphone Against Hackers – NYTimes.com.

Enough said?  Below are  recommendations  on how to begin protecting yourself from compromising the safety of your personal information.  In the New York Times article one of the smartphone security companies  mentioned is Lookout, Inc.  Check out the information below and get started with protecting your cyber identity.  🙂

♦ Award-Winning Security That’s Easy to Use Your smartphone is vital to your work and everyday life. Lookout provides award-winning security to protect you from viruses, malware and spyware, the ability to backup and restore your data, and tools to help locate lost or stolen phones. Lookout’s unique cross-platform, cloud-connected applications are designed to be lightweight and efficient while delivering the best protection possible. via Smartphone Security | Mobile Device Security for Smartphones.

♦ Apple iPhone and iPad users can checkout the 2 links below

Protecting and Recovering Your iPhone and iPad from Loss and Theft | Security Generation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Find My iPhone (and iPad) | Security Generation.

♦  Android phone users may want to check out how to protect their phones with Norton’s beta app

Norton Mobile Security Android security appSmartphones hold a lot of valuable data: Text messages, e-mail, and even credit card numbers can reside on the device, where they’re easily accessed. If you lose your phone, you run the risk of having your identity stolen. Sure, you can set up a lock pattern, but we have seen such measures circumvented in the past.

Symantec’s Norton Mobile Security (beta) allows you to remotely lock and wipe your phone by text message, so that whoever finds it can’t immediately go on a shopping spree in the Android Market with your money. You can even lock down the SIM card so that a thief can’t swap it out to another phone. Beyond that, Norton permits you to block calls and text messages, as well as to scan your phone for malware. Although the program is still in beta until the end of the year, Norton Mobile Security is a superb choice for anyone who wants complete cell phone protection. via Protect Your Android Phone With Security Apps | PCWorld.

I hope this is helpful 🙂