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IT Security Managers Can't Rely On Their Users To Secure Mobile Devices

iAnywhere survey shows:<1/>- 78% of IT managers have sensitive information on their mobile devices<1/>- Over one third don't use passwords to protect their data<1/>- Public transport still most usual place to lose mobile devices<1/>- Only 49% of people get their mobile device back after losing it

Maidenhead, 5th June 2006 - A survey conducted by iAnywhere Solutions, Inc., a subsidiary of Sybase, Inc. (NYSE: SY), at the 2006 InfoSecurity Europe exhibition has shown that IT managers are failing to adequately protect the data on corporate mobile devices by not enforcing PIN codes and passwords to protect the data stored on their laptops, PDAs and mobile phones.

78% of IT professionals surveyed had sensitive information, such as emails and passwords, stored on their mobile devices. However, only 62% of respondents protect this information via encryption, passwords or PIN codes, meaning 38% of these devices could provide open access to personal and company information should they fall into the wrong hands.

iAnywhere also asked respondents who had lost a mobile device during the last 6 months where they had mislaid them. The most common place was on public transport, with 57% of respondents leaving devices on tubes and trains. More than one respondent said they had left their mobile device at an airport security check desk.

Other popular places for losing devices were whilst shopping (14%), at the pub (9%) and at home (5%). More unusual tales of losing mobile devices included a respondent who left his phone in a petrol station (with all pin numbers for credit cards listed in it), someone who lost their phone at the Live 8 concert, and a very adventurous respondent who dropped his PDA into an African lake.

Although 53% of people surveyed had the capability to remotely wipe their device after it was lost, all those surveyed who claimed this capability had lost Blackberry devices. Other devices - such as pocket PCs, laptops and smartphones - appeared to be almost totally unprotected.

A very lucky 49% of people got their device back after it was lost or stolen, via a combination of remote tracking and good old-fashioned honesty whereby their device was handed over to the police. Yet for the remaining 51%, it was anything but a happy ending, as they had to spend valuable time and money buying new devices and recovering lost data.

Mike Oliver, EMEA Marketing Manager for iAnywhere, commented: "It is alarming that so many IT managers are still failing to protect their mobile data. Even enforcing a simple PIN code on a mobile device goes a long way towards stopping a third party from accessing sensitive and often critical information should the device be lost or stolen."<1/>