Do you check email from your iPhone? Do you review or edit documents on your iPad? What about checking your bank account online from your device? Mobile devices like traditional computers are not immune to attacks that can compromise their security. iPhones and iPads are stolen every day, making the data on them available to the thief. iOS can even get viruses. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to help make your device more secure.
At the front line of your defense is a passcode. This is the easiest security measure you can add to the device. You may choose a simple four digit code; however, the better option is to turn off simple passwords and use an alphanumeric password with special characters that is at least 8 characters long. On the passcode lock screen, you should also turn on the erase data feature. After ten failed attempts to unlock the phone all data will be erased. Setting the auto lock to the shortest time of one minute will increase the likelihood that your device will be locked if someone picks it up or it is found in the back of a cab.
Setting up and installing the iCloud service on the device has a number of benefits, as well. The iCloud service can act like a digital LoJack. If your device is lost, you can log into the iCloud Site and see where your device is on a map within one hundred yards. You can then have it make a noise until it is found and display a message on the screen. If all hope of recovering the device is lost, you can use the iCloud service to send a command to the device to wipe it, removing all of your data and apps so the thief has no hope of accessing it.
IT can further manage devices that connect to the company network using mobile device management software to enforce company passcode policies, manage email accounts, and remotely wipe a device.
Securing your mobile device is important and could save you or your company from a catastrophic loss of data. Taking these few simple steps can help protect you, your company, your data, and your device from loss, theft, and theft of data.