While it is a traumatic event, mobile devices are lost. Statistically, there is a one chance in three of losing a mobile device. Many of my Tico friends admit that they lost a cell phone, and I once left my cell phone in a rental car. Sometimes, you find your lost mobile device. Other times, the lost mobile device becomes a stolen device. Losing a cell phone is bad enough, but loosing a smartphone, or tablet, is much more serious. It is not just the cost of the device. Our mobile devices contain lots of personal information. This article lists the steps you can take to protect the data on your mobile device.

Step 1: You need to backup the data on your device to another computer or network backup server. This should be done on regular basis. A backup will give you a point of recovery should you not be able to retrieve your device.

Step 2: Every GSM/UTMS capable phone, or device, has a unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. Every manufacturer of a GSM device must report the IMEI numbers of imported devices to SUTEL. You can verify the IMEI number at SUTEL’s certification site. Record the IMEI number of your GSM/UTMS phones or tablets, and keep them in a safe place. You must report a lost or stolen phone to the police (in Costa Rica call 117), and give them the IMEI number as the serial number. With the police report, you can then contact your SIM carrier, and possibly get back your original phone number. It is a drastic step, but the SIM carrier can use the IMEI number to lock the device. There is no unlock code.

Step 3: When you power on your GSM device, it asks for a PIN number. This PIN number is the password for the SIM card. All someone has to do, is change the SIM card to access your phone. Some Nokia phones provide an option that force you to enter the Lock Code (see below), when the SIM card changes.

Step 4: You can set a Lock Code, or Lock Passcode, for you mobile device. For the smartphones and tablets, you enable the Lock Passcode under the security settings. When you turn on the power to a mobile device you are asked for the SIM Pin code, and then the Lock Passcode. Changing the SIM card does not alter the Lock Passcode. Some mobile devices allow you to set an autolock period. If the mobile device is inactive for this period, you will be prompted for the Lock Passcode. It is like a screensaver lock. This is not the same as a keypad lock, which is only exists to prevent butt calling (pocket dialing).

Step 5: Let’s say you configured your device so that it autolocks after a specified period of time, during that period someone can still run apps that reveal your private data. To prevent this from happening, you can password protect selected applications. Android apps that provide application locking include: Smart App Protector, App Lock – App Protector, or App Protector Pro [App Lock]. For Nokia phones, you can use AppsLock.

Step 6: Lock Passcodes are like door looks, they stop some intruders, but not the serious intruder. Even having a separate passwords app is not an absolute guarantee of security. The one super big hole in phone security is the microSD card. Someone only needs to remove the microSD card, and insert it into their computer. They can now read the data on your microSD card, which probably includes backups of data from the phones internal storage. The solution to this problem is to encrypt the data on the microSD card, and on the internal storage. Nokia phones usually have an option to encrypt the phone memory and/or the microSD card. On the other hand, Android devices do not offer encryption as a standard feature. While there is no app that encrypts the entire contents of the internal storage or micorSD card, there are apps that encrypt directories or files. These apps include Droid Crypt, or Encryption Manager.

Yes, it takes effort to secure your mobile device, and it does make it a bit more inconvenient to use. The real question is what is the cost of someone getting access to your data? What is the cost of identity fraud? What is the cost of someone getting access to your bank account? What is the cost of someone getting access to your credit card information? Weigh these costs against a little inconvenience, and remember that statistically there is a one in three chance that you will lose your mobile device.