The Hindu Business Line : Lost your mobile? Don't worry, your data is safe

Security on mobiles involves passwords, that form the first layer of protection. Anti-virus applications can be bought and updated, or provided as a service by operators.

Bangalore , June 6

In this age, where users download music and costly applications on their mobiles, mobile security is gaining in importance. Embedded security can prevent the thief from accessing your data and music. Designers of chips for mobile phones are working with handset makers and cellular service providers to make this happen in the near future.

Currently, security on mobiles involves passwords, similar to pin codes that form the first layer of protection. Anti-virus applications can also be bought and updated, or provided as a service by operators. Handset makers are also getting involved in manufacturing safer mobiles. They can hard-wire the mobile so that data stored on non-volatile memory (dissimilar to memory cards, that are volatile) are protected by a password. This password can be changed only by the user on the purchase of the mobile, and hence assures safety of critical data, said Mr Ganesh Guruswamy, Country Manager and Director, Freescale Semiconductor India, a chip-maker for mobiles.

Several government officials and top-notch businessmen already own highly secure mobiles, which can't be hacked, report sources. The recent news on phone tapping has made many users demand more security in their handsets. "Voice encryption is a sure-fire way of preventing phone tapping," said Mr Guruswamy. Smart phones with this feature are available, but pricey.

"Unauthorised access can be prevented by using a combination of security technologies," said Mr Mohan Kumar, who heads R&D activities at Motorola India. The firm's software development centre in Bangalore is working on combining iris, face, speech and fingerprint recognition in mobiles, as this will ensure safety of up to 95 per cent from hackers.

Security will become an in-built feature soon. Chip design firms like ARM are embedding security inside chips. This will mean that the chip itself will act as a security referee, ensuring the combination of protective layers work in sync.

"Now, losing your mobile is a mere annoyance. When the mobile becomes your credit card, then users will see the importance of security," said Mr Tudor Brown, Chief Operating Officer, ARM. "

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