As our mobile phones become smarter, they also become more desirable – not only for us as consumers, but also for thieves. Thieves can adopt stolen phones as their own; they can use stolen phones to facilitate other nefarious activities; or they can simply sell stolen phones for a profit. Data thieves can sometimes take advantage of your phone while it’s still in your possession. Rogue apps or confusing app permissions can result in inadvertent data leakage. Regardless of the reason why a thief steals or accesses your phone, you can help to make it harder for the thief to benefit from your loss.
The Federal Communications Commission provides a few resources that consumers can use to help improve the security of their mobile devices. These resources include an online Smartphone Security Checker and a printable checklist of smartphone security tips. Both of these resources can be accessed for free at http://www.fcc.gov/smartphone-security.
