BEIJING, October 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Mobile phones are becoming ever smarter, more complex and offer a growing range of functions. It wasn't so long ago that a mobile phone was simply that, a phone. But by the mid 1990s text messaging arrived, followed shortly after by WAP (Wireless Application Protocol), which gave users the first if slightly clunky mobile access to the web. Now there is hardly a phone sold which does not have access to the Internet.
Along with fast access speed to the web, mobile phone owners also possess a powerful device in their hands. Many are equipped with GPS, inbuilt cameras, notebooks, music players, alarm clocks and in some cases, compasses. Google's recently announced move to add satellite navigation to the list may warm the hearts of many technology buffs, but with all this technology there come risks.
The vast amount of data stored on an average mobile phone may pose more than a simple inconvenience if lost or stolen. In the past, the data lost amounted to no more than around 100 phone numbers, all that early models could store. But with the advent of cheaper storage capacity the amount of data lost could be considerable. Even deleted information may not be completely eradicated according to DiskLabs, a company that handles cellphone forensic analysis for UK police forces, private companies and individuals snooping on suspect employees.
Phishing and smishing, scams involving SMS or phone calls, are becoming more common and mobile devices are also being targeted by fraudsters. According to the UK government's Design and Technology Alliance Against Crime (DTAAC), 80 percent of Britons carry information on handsets that could be used to commit frauds, and about 16 percent keep bank details on their phones. Losing such a device, or even handing it in to be recycled, poses a very clear risk.
As phones become more like mini-computers so the threat of viruses increases. "Mobile phones are becoming a bigger part of our lives," says Andy Jones, head of information security research at British Telecommunications. "We trust and rely on them more. And as we rely on them more, the potential for fraud has got to increase."
Even a mobile calendar could increase one's vulnerability. Police in the UK have already identified burglaries that occurred after thieves used information on stolen mobiles to plan their raids while people were away on holiday.
Applications like SportsTracker, which help in planning a fitness regime, could also prove useful to criminals. The data can easily be synchronised with Google maps to show someone's movements. The information would be a goldmine for stalkers or worse.
In February this year, Google launched Latitude, networking software for smartphones that shares a mobile phone user's location with friends. It can be turned off, but campaign group Privacy International is concerned by Latitude's complex settings and says it is possible the program could broadcast the user's location to others without their knowledge. "Latitude could be a gift to stalkers, prying employers, jealous partners and obsessive friends," the organisation warns. The opportunities posed by such devices also give governments the ability to spy on its citizens. In Britain there has been a concerted campaign mounted against the introduction of an Identity Card scheme. However many people are carrying just such a device, and one which is probably less secure.
At least 20 millions handsets were lost or stolen worldwide in 2008, according to UK data-security specialists Recipero. Turning on the security settings is an important first step to protecting data as this may dissuade potential thieves from trying to crack the codes. Deleting files useful to criminals is some protection though data often remains on a phone's memory chip until it is overwritten. Phones also create extra copies of files that are spread around its memory. It is possible to overwrite files by copying new data onto the phone and commercially available software will "zero fill" a memory or SIM card to overwrite it.
Mobile phone security is likely to improve in the coming years as some manufacturers introduce features like fingerprint recognition. But until then it is advisable to keep a firm grip on one's mobile device.
(Agencies)
