Anyone who has had a phone stolen knows the frustration of trying to rebuild your contact list, not to mention data on the phone that is unrecoverable. Worse, the data stored on your phone can be dangerous in the wrong hands. In addition to being able to impersonate you to your mobile contacts, consider the risk of an attacker who has access to some of all of the following:
- Your saved contacts - names, phone numbers, perhaps also email addresses and physical addresses
- Call logs - calls made and received
- Stored text messages
- A calendar with your appointments, or a task list
- Your mobile email
- Your web browser with stored passwords
- Photos, video and sound recordings stored on the phone and memory card
- Data stored by applications - notes, social networking contacts and posts
Three kinds of tools can lessen the pain of losing your mobile data, and limit your risk should your phone be lost or stolen.
- Backup and restore tools allow you to save a backup of contacts and other data stored on your phone
- Data deletion tools can be used to ‘clean’ a phone completely before disposing of it, giving it away or travelling to a location where you are worried it could be stolen or confiscated
- Remote wipe tools are set up so that if your phone is lost or stolen, you are able to clean it remotely, deleting sensitive data. Many remote wipe tools also allow you to track the phone provided it has not been turned off.
Anyone who has had a phone stolen knows the frustration of trying to rebuild your contacts list, not to mention data on the phone that is unrecoverable. Worse, the data stored on your phone can be dangerous in the wrong hands. In addition to being able to impersonate you to your mobile contacts, consider the risk of an attacker who has access to some of all of the following:
- Your saved contacts - names, phone numbers, perhaps also email addresses and physical addresses
- Call logs - calls made and received
- Stored text messages
- A calendar with your appointments, or a task list
- Your mobile email
- Your web browser with stored passwords
- Photos, video and sound recordings stored on the phone and memory card
- Data stored by applications - notes, social networking contacts and posts
Three kinds of tools can lessen the pain of losing your mobile data, and limit your risk should your phone be lost or stolen.
- Backup and restore tools allow you to save a backup of contacts and other data stored on your phone
- Data deletion tools can be used to ‘clean’ a phone completely before disposing of it, giving it away or travelling to a location where you are worried it could be stolen or confiscated
- Remote wipe tools are set up so that if your phone is lost or stolen, you are able to clean it remotely, deleting sensitive data. Many remote wipe tools also allow you to track the phone provided it has not been turned off.
Backup and restore
Backup and restore tools are nearly always phone-specific (that is, specific to a particular manufacturer or operating system) and often come in the form of software included with the phone. With the growth of the smartphone market, backup and restore apps for smartphones are increasingly available, as are services that use your phone’s data connection to back up data automatically to a remote server.
- Note that backup and restore tools vary widely in the data they handle - some copy only contacts, others contacts, messages and photos but not application data, etc. Make sure you’re backing up everything you want saved!
- Backup files are as vulnerable as the data on the phone itself. Make sure your backups are encrypted if stored on a PC or removable storage (see the Security-in-a-box chapter on encryption using TrueCrypt for how to do this). If you’re using a backup service that stores data on their own servers, make sure you’re comfortable with their security precautions, and be aware that they can choose or be forced to hand over your data to law enforcement.
- McAfee WaveSecure offers a web-based backup and restore service for Android, Blackberry, iPhone Symbian, Windows Mobile and Java phones, as well as remote wipe and tracking. We were quoted US $19.99 for a one-year subscription to the service and have not analyzed it deeply in regard to its security or policies regarding data disclosure to third parties.
Tools
Many manufacturers provide backup and restore tools, and reading your manual, digging up any software that came with the phone, or searching the manufacturer web site is a good start. Here are some links to manufacturer-provided tools and services:
- Nokia Synchronizing and Copying FAQ
- iPhone and iPod Touch Backups using iTunes
- HTC’s backup tool for Windows-based HTC phones
- HTC Desire backup (to memory card) and HTCSense.com backup, restore and remote wipe (to HTCSense.com) for recent HTC phones with the HTC Sense user interface
- Blackberry Desktop Manager backups will back up contacts to your PC, as well as media using the ‘import media feature’. Once on the PC, find and encrypt the backup file - the backup location is under preferences.
If you can’t use the manufacturer-provided software, backup apps are another option, particularly for smartphones. If you don’t have a PC you can secure, choose to back up to the phone’s SD card or a trusted online service.
- iDrive Lite offers online backups of contact data for Android, iPhone and Blackberry
- For Android, many backup apps are available in the market. Be sure to think about potential security risks before installing apps - see Are your Apps Trustworthy for tips.
- If you have a rooted Android phone, Titanium Backup is popular and full-featured. It backs up to the phone’s SD card, and you can copy the backup to your PC and store it there encrypted by TrueCrypt.The paid version of Titanium Backup ($5.99) will encrypt the backup on the SD card as well.
- For non-rooted Android phones, MyBackup Pro is a paid (US $4.99) option, and there are also many free apps that back up specific data, such as contacts or SMSs.
- WhysperSys offers encrypted backup on Amazon via its tool Flashback. Flashback will back up your entire Android system and SD card to Amazon's cloud storage using strong encryption. A limited version of Flashback is free for individual users through the Android Marketplace and is also fully integrated into WhisperCore, a hardened Android version for Nexus S and Nexus One Android phones.
- Also for Android, the free version of Lookout Antivirus can backup and restore your contacts to myLookout.com. Lookout offers a 14-day trial for the premium version, and only some features remain free after the trial, including virus protection and contact backup. The premium version (US $29.99/year or US $2.99/month) has features for remote lock or remote wipe, as well as for a missing device, including pinpointing the phone on a map and enabling a “scream” feature.
Data deletion tools
If you’re not yet convinced of the importance of data deletion, consider the offices of the McCain/Palin campaign when a trove of discarded Blackberrys turned up for sale with donor names and phone numbers and confidential email still intact. For many phones, basic data deletion tools are already available in the settings menu. These won’t prevent a dedicated attacker with forensic tools from recovering some or all of your data, but they will deter casual interest.
- As before, remember to check your manufacturer’s website and search the web for erase instructions. Most phones won’t need additional software.
- One of the best resources for data deletion instructions is the Recellular Data Eraser. Put in your phone make and model, and you’ll receive data deletion instructions by email.
- BitPIM is a software programme for PCs (Windows, Mac and Linux) that can be used to delete personal information from a number of CDMA phones.
- InTheClear is a beta data-wipe application for human rights defenders and activists that will send an emergency SMS with a on-push command, as well as wipe data and media off your phone with a set of pre-configured options. It is available for Android, Symbian and Blackberry.
Remote wipe tools
If your phone is lost or stolen, remote wipe tools can save you from potentially serious compromise of sensitive data. Note that unless they come pre-installed on your phone, you need to install remote wipe tools before the phone is lost or stolen. Also, as with the data deletion tools above, note that there is no guarantee that your data is really gone - it may still be recoverable with forensics sofware (which is widely and cheaply available to law enforcement and intelligence officials).
The list below is not exhaustive - there are many apps and services for remote wipe. Some mobile network operators may also offer remote wipe for phones on their network. Ask yours today.
Remember that as with any app you install, you should be sure you trust the app developer/provider of the remote wipe service. By installing the app on your phone, you give them the ability to wipe it remotely.
- Kapersky Mobile Security offers remote wipe as part of its antivirus package. It’s US $24.99 per year, and available for Android, Blackberry, Symbian, Windows Mobile.
- Norton Antivirus Lite free version provides phone locking and and antivirus for Symbian, Windows mobile and Android phones. To get remote wipe, you need to upgrade to the premium version for US $29.99 per year. In our own tests, we found Norton's mobile security suite for Android buggy and unstable, however.
- McAfee WaveSecure offers a web-based backup and restore service for Android, Blackberry, iPhone Symbian, Windows Mobile and Java phones, as well as remote wipe and tracking. I was quoted US $19.99 for a one-year subscription to the service.
- Android Lost is a free app and web service for remote wipe on Android phones (2.2 and newer).
- The free version of Lookout Antivirus for Android can backup and restore your contacts to myLookout.com. For US $29.99 per year, the paid version adds remote wipe functionality.
- HTCSense.com backup, restore and remote wipe provides remote wipe for recent HTC phones with the HTC Sense user interface. This includes newer Android and Windows Mobile phones.
- iPhones can be wiped and located from the MobileMe web interface, or using the FindMyiPhone app on another iPhone or iPad. (both require US $99 annual subscription fee)
Note: We do not endorse or recommend any one particular service and we have not YET deeply tested these services for their reliability, security, or privacy policies, other than our own app InTheClear. Please proceed at your own risk and take a close look at the services that you choose!
Anyone who has had a phone stolen knows the frustration of trying to rebuild your contact list, not to mention data on the phone that is unrecoverable. Worse, the data stored on your phone can be dangerous in the wrong hands. In addition to being able to impersonate you to your mobile contacts, consider the risk of an attacker who has access to some of all of the following:
- Your saved contacts - names, phone numbers, perhaps also email addresses and physical addresses
- Call logs - calls made and received
- Stored text messages
- A calendar with your appointments, or a task list
- Your mobile email
- Your web browser with stored passwords
- Photos, video and sound recordings stored on the phone and memory card
- Data stored by applications - notes, social networking contacts and posts
Three kinds of tools can lessen the pain of losing your mobile data, and limit your risk should your phone be lost or stolen.
- Backup and restore tools allow you to save a backup of contacts and other data stored on your phone
- Data deletion tools can be used to ‘clean’ a phone completely before disposing of it, giving it away or travelling to a location where you are worried it could be stolen or confiscated
- Remote wipe tools are set up so that if your phone is lost or stolen, you are able to clean it remotely, deleting sensitive data. Many remote wipe tools also allow you to track the phone provided it has not been turned off.
Anyone who has had a phone stolen knows the frustration of trying to rebuild your contacts list, not to mention data on the phone that is unrecoverable. Worse, the data stored on your phone can be dangerous in the wrong hands. In addition to being able to impersonate you to your mobile contacts, consider the risk of an attacker who has access to some of all of the following:
- Your saved contacts - names, phone numbers, perhaps also email addresses and physical addresses
- Call logs - calls made and received
- Stored text messages
- A calendar with your appointments, or a task list
- Your mobile email
- Your web browser with stored passwords
- Photos, video and sound recordings stored on the phone and memory card
- Data stored by applications - notes, social networking contacts and posts
Three kinds of tools can lessen the pain of losing your mobile data, and limit your risk should your phone be lost or stolen.
- Backup and restore tools allow you to save a backup of contacts and other data stored on your phone
- Data deletion tools can be used to ‘clean’ a phone completely before disposing of it, giving it away or travelling to a location where you are worried it could be stolen or confiscated
- Remote wipe tools are set up so that if your phone is lost or stolen, you are able to clean it remotely, deleting sensitive data. Many remote wipe tools also allow you to track the phone provided it has not been turned off.
Backup and restore
Backup and restore tools are nearly always phone-specific (that is, specific to a particular manufacturer or operating system) and often come in the form of software included with the phone. With the growth of the smartphone market, backup and restore apps for smartphones are increasingly available, as are services that use your phone’s data connection to back up data automatically to a remote server.
- Note that backup and restore tools vary widely in the data they handle - some copy only contacts, others contacts, messages and photos but not application data, etc. Make sure you’re backing up everything you want saved!
- Backup files are as vulnerable as the data on the phone itself. Make sure your backups are encrypted if stored on a PC or removable storage (see the Security-in-a-box chapter on encryption using TrueCrypt for how to do this). If you’re using a backup service that stores data on their own servers, make sure you’re comfortable with their security precautions, and be aware that they can choose or be forced to hand over your data to law enforcement.
- McAfee WaveSecure offers a web-based backup and restore service for Android, Blackberry, iPhone Symbian, Windows Mobile and Java phones, as well as remote wipe and tracking. We were quoted US $19.99 for a one-year subscription to the service and have not analyzed it deeply in regard to its security or policies regarding data disclosure to third parties.
Tools
Many manufacturers provide backup and restore tools, and reading your manual, digging up any software that came with the phone, or searching the manufacturer web site is a good start. Here are some links to manufacturer-provided tools and services:
- Nokia Synchronizing and Copying FAQ
- iPhone and iPod Touch Backups using iTunes
- HTC’s backup tool for Windows-based HTC phones
- HTC Desire backup (to memory card) and HTCSense.com backup, restore and remote wipe (to HTCSense.com) for recent HTC phones with the HTC Sense user interface
- Blackberry Desktop Manager backups will back up contacts to your PC, as well as media using the ‘import media feature’. Once on the PC, find and encrypt the backup file - the backup location is under preferences.
If you can’t use the manufacturer-provided software, backup apps are another option, particularly for smartphones. If you don’t have a PC you can secure, choose to back up to the phone’s SD card or a trusted online service.
- iDrive Lite offers online backups of contact data for Android, iPhone and Blackberry
- For Android, many backup apps are available in the market. Be sure to think about potential security risks before installing apps - see Are your Apps Trustworthy for tips.
- If you have a rooted Android phone, Titanium Backup is popular and full-featured. It backs up to the phone’s SD card, and you can copy the backup to your PC and store it there encrypted by TrueCrypt.The paid version of Titanium Backup ($5.99) will encrypt the backup on the SD card as well.
- For non-rooted Android phones, MyBackup Pro is a paid (US $4.99) option, and there are also many free apps that back up specific data, such as contacts or SMSs.
- WhysperSys offers encrypted backup on Amazon via its tool Flashback. Flashback will back up your entire Android system and SD card to Amazon's cloud storage using strong encryption. A limited version of Flashback is free for individual users through the Android Marketplace and is also fully integrated into WhisperCore, a hardened Android version for Nexus S and Nexus One Android phones.
- Also for Android, the free version of Lookout Antivirus can backup and restore your contacts to myLookout.com. Lookout offers a 14-day trial for the premium version, and only some features remain free after the trial, including virus protection and contact backup. The premium version (US $29.99/year or US $2.99/month) has features for remote lock or remote wipe, as well as for a missing device, including pinpointing the phone on a map and enabling a “scream” feature.
Data deletion tools
If you’re not yet convinced of the importance of data deletion, consider the offices of the McCain/Palin campaign when a trove of discarded Blackberrys turned up for sale with donor names and phone numbers and confidential email still intact. For many phones, basic data deletion tools are already available in the settings menu. These won’t prevent a dedicated attacker with forensic tools from recovering some or all of your data, but they will deter casual interest.
- As before, remember to check your manufacturer’s website and search the web for erase instructions. Most phones won’t need additional software.
- One of the best resources for data deletion instructions is the Recellular Data Eraser. Put in your phone make and model, and you’ll receive data deletion instructions by email.
- BitPIM is a software programme for PCs (Windows, Mac and Linux) that can be used to delete personal information from a number of CDMA phones.
- InTheClear is a beta data-wipe application for human rights defenders and activists that will send an emergency SMS with a on-push command, as well as wipe data and media off your phone with a set of pre-configured options. It is available for Android, Symbian and Blackberry.
Remote wipe tools
If your phone is lost or stolen, remote wipe tools can save you from potentially serious compromise of sensitive data. Note that unless they come pre-installed on your phone, you need to install remote wipe tools before the phone is lost or stolen. Also, as with the data deletion tools above, note that there is no guarantee that your data is really gone - it may still be recoverable with forensics sofware (which is widely and cheaply available to law enforcement and intelligence officials).
The list below is not exhaustive - there are many apps and services for remote wipe. Some mobile network operators may also offer remote wipe for phones on their network. Ask yours today.
Remember that as with any app you install, you should be sure you trust the app developer/provider of the remote wipe service. By installing the app on your phone, you give them the ability to wipe it remotely.
- Kapersky Mobile Security offers remote wipe as part of its antivirus package. It’s US $24.99 per year, and available for Android, Blackberry, Symbian, Windows Mobile.
- Norton Antivirus Lite free version provides phone locking and and antivirus for Symbian, Windows mobile and Android phones. To get remote wipe, you need to upgrade to the premium version for US $29.99 per year. In our own tests, we found Norton's mobile security suite for Android buggy and unstable, however.
- McAfee WaveSecure offers a web-based backup and restore service for Android, Blackberry, iPhone Symbian, Windows Mobile and Java phones, as well as remote wipe and tracking. I was quoted US $19.99 for a one-year subscription to the service.
- Android Lost is a free app and web service for remote wipe on Android phones (2.2 and newer).
- The free version of Lookout Antivirus for Android can backup and restore your contacts to myLookout.com. For US $29.99 per year, the paid version adds remote wipe functionality.
- HTCSense.com backup, restore and remote wipe provides remote wipe for recent HTC phones with the HTC Sense user interface. This includes newer Android and Windows Mobile phones.
- iPhones can be wiped and located from the MobileMe web interface, or using the FindMyiPhone app on another iPhone or iPad. (both require US $99 annual subscription fee)
Note: We do not endorse or recommend any one particular service and we have not YET deeply tested these services for their reliability, security, or privacy policies, other than our own app InTheClear. Please proceed at your own risk and take a close look at the services that you choose!
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