In a world where technology is ever changing and hacks are on the risk, it’s important to beef up your mobile security. Wondering how to keep your and your employee’s cell phones safe? Here are 5 tips.
1. Have Cell Phone Tracking On – With the number of “find my phone” apps available, there’s no reason not to have one on your phone. These apps use the GPS antenna in the phone to locate it if it’s lost or stolen. Although this means a phone needs to have battery power and works best if out in the open, the GPS tracking apps still increase the chance of recovery.
2. Use Lock Screen Contact Info – Basically this gives the kind-hearted person who found your phone the information he or she needs to get in touch with you. Yes, you can try calling it a million times from someone else’s phone, or, you can include a name and phone number on the lock screen and hope they call.
3. A Backup Plan – First and foremost, make sure you and your employees are backing up mobile phones regularly. You know what’s worse than a lost or stolen phone? Pictures, contacts, or other important information that’s gone forever. Ideally, this will be an automatic process. Invest in extra cloud storage–that way if you or your employees are too busy to stop and physically back up the phone it still gets done.
4. Remote Wiping – Assuming you’re using a solid backup system as mentioned above, remote wiping should be an asset. Most mobile GPS tracking apps have an option for remote wiping, but you can also speak with your resident IT guy to ensure you find a remote wiping solution that best suits you and your employees. Keep in mind, this only works when the phone is on and has a signal, also necessitating the need for good encryption.
5. Data Encryption – Because you can’t always count on remote wiping, it’s important to have solid data encryption software. The short pin or fingerprint employees use is a good start, but if employee cell phones contain sensitive and crucial business information, you’ll want to discuss more serious options with a professional.