PrivateRiskAdvisor
Perhaps it is the result of growing up in a household that regarded “Murphy’s Law” as gospel —- but I am almost manic in expecting (and preparing for) the unexpected. While the “unexpected” does not occur to any of us with great frequency, when “it” does I am rarely caught off guard, or without a plan on how to address it (whatever it may be). This “be prepared for the sky to fall” tendency has earned me many nicknames, none of which are ever intended as a compliment. According to the online test “Are You a Worry Wart”, my score, while not off the charts, does suggest I am naturally inclined to help others at least consider preparing for the wide range of risks that those who are not “worry warts” are neither concenred about nor often even aware of. You want me worried. You NEED me worried.
So my latest worry – for you, and all who you know – is what can happen to all of the data on your smartphone should your phone ever become stolen or misplaced. Why this issue? Because I not only recently lost my iPhone, but much worse, I had no plans in place to protect the data that was on it from mis-use. I make this admission with great shame, and can assure all my friends and family are having great fun at my expense. While this blunder has cost me several nights sleep, I have learned from my mistake, and you can too. Of course, you can also just resolve to never lose your smartphone (or have it stolen). That did not occur to me….
Although I did not know WHAT steps to take to secure the large amount of personal data on my phone (it had NO client info!!), I did know WHO to turn to for expert guidance. I met Ondrej Krehel of Identity Theft 911 awhile ago through an introduction arranged by Chubb. Krehel and his colleagues provide highly customized identity protection and data risk management solutions for a wide range of business and organizations. Identity Theft 911 has a great website that features a “Knoweldge Center” full of valuable insights. Of course, this firm can be of greatest assistance to the organizations they serve when they have the opportunity to provide their services before an intrusion occurs. Similarly, while Krehel also authors a great blog full of helpful ideas, I only wish I had learned about how he can help me protect my data before I lost my iPhone.
I encourage EVERYONE who has not lost a smartphone to review the “low tech” and “high tech” suggestions Krehel offers on what can be done to protect your data before it is ever lost or stolen. Use this link to read “Your Smarter Smartphone” posted on Krehel’s blog, and be sure take the time to view his many other insightful posts. Should you wish to learn more about Identity Theft 911 and the wide range of their capabilities, I’d be happy to arrange an introduction.
Private Risk Advisor 