Backup Without Security – Huh?

Whether we admit it or not, we tend to think of backup as a chore that you have to perform in spite of the obvious benefits of being able to replace lost data. By now, most people are used to the idea of backing up your Mac or PC, but the mobile phone experience is much more dynamic and spontaneous, so the last thing we think about losing our mobile information.

Let’s face it – back up is becoming a necessary evil. Like the saying goes “you can’t appreciate what you have until it’s gone.” The same goes for our mobile data. It’s probably the most overlooked security risk that we deal with on a daily basis.

Those of us who appreciate the value backing things up have most likely gone through the experience of losing data that was not backed up and wished that we had acted when we had the opportunity. For those that have been through the fire – congrats, you’re halfway there.

For all of the reasons that you bother to back up your information in the first place, you may be missing one thing. Backup allows you to recover your pictures, ringtones, videos, and contacts that were lost, but what about all that and more that’s still on the phone and open to whoever can see it?

If you haven’t already, you better start thinking of your mobile phone as a “mobile wallet/purse” with stuff that you don’t want to expose to the public. Did you ever think of how easy it is to post your pictures and videos on the internet? Or find out who your friends, family and customers are? And if your into mobile banking, have a favorites list or keep stuff on an SD card you could literally become a victim of ID theft.

I’ll cover more on security in future posts under the tag “security”.