Mobile Phone-Crime-Fighting Innovations
Written on Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Mobile Phone Crime is huge. There's no question about it, yet little is being done to prevent it. Most people insure their phones, but that's closer to a cure, not prevention! People (myself included) tend to lock their phones using a (number of) PINs, but even that's the minimum consolation that at least your precious data (photos, contacts, messages, etc.) won't be accessed by anyone else.Initiatives such as this, from the Home Office Design and Technology Alliance and the Design Council, are most welcome, because we need all the help we can get.
Here's more from the article:
Three new design innovations to tackle mobile phone crime, including a device that locks a phone and alerts the owner if it is taken away from them, have been unveiled today.
The prototypes were developed by teams of designers and technology experts as part of the Mobile Phone Security Challenge, an initiative from the Home Office Design and Technology Alliance and the Design Council, with support and funding from the Technology Strategy Board.
The aim of the challenge was to protect mobile phone users from crimes such as mobile phone identity fraud, which rose by over 70% in 2009, to make phones more secure and to prevent unauthorised use of mobiles for electronic 'contactless' payments, soon to be become widespread in the UK.
The solutions are:
- i-migo - a small device which the user keeps about their person. The i-migo sounds an alert and locks the handset if it is taken out of a set range - either through theft or loss. The i-migo also provides automated backup of important data using Bluetooth technology.
- The 'tie' solution - this electronically matches a handset to a SIM card and protects data stored on the handset with a password and encryption. If stolen, the handset cannot be used with another SIM and data such as saved passwords, browsed websites, and contacts cannot be accessed by criminals, who can use it to defraud victims, by hacking into online bank accounts.
- TouchSafe - aimed at making "M-Commerce" transactions more secure by using a small card worn or carried by the user, who discreetly touches the phone to the card to enable the transaction. Touch Safe uses the same Near Field Communication (NFC) technology currently used by the Oyster travel card.
The three working prototypes will be on display from the 15 to 18 February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the mobile industry's annual trade show. The Design and Technology Alliance and the Design Council will be calling for the industry to protect their customers by adopting these innovative security technologies.
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mobile services
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