iPod MyPod - Gadget Theft

This article says "only 6.7 percent of owners recovered their stolen handheld computers, laptops or smart phones, according to a 2004 study by Brigadoon Software, which makes programs that help track and recover stolen devices. FBI statistics indicate that only 3 percent of stolen laptops are recovered.

If a gadget is lost, or stolen and then discarded, services exist to help find the owner should a good Samaritan come upon it and seek to return it. Companies like StuffBak, Trackitback and SmartProtec register the electronic items and tag them with labels and serial numbers to help people return them and to deter thieves, who might think that indelibly labeled items will be hard to resell. These services vary in the reward offered and the costs to the owner. "

This article says " In a survey of 300 American adults published Thursday, security company Symantec found that 73 percent of smart phones users knew about viruses and other attacks that target the devices, which marry PC-like features such as e-mail and Internet access to a mobile handset. In addition, more than 70 percent of respondents expressed some concern over the possibility of hackers stealing or corrupting confidential information stored on their smart phones.

Despite the risk, the research shows that early adopters haven't been shy about accessing confidential information using the devices. Just over 55 percent of those surveyed stored sensitive personal information on their smart phones. About 37 percent maintained confidential business data on their handsets, and about 28 percent kept clients' details in their devices...41 percent of respondents told Symantec that they already engage in online banking via their smart phones..."

Is your IT organization taking this into account in the overall IT risk assessment?

Do you manage these devices with a full understanding of the value of the device, the attractiveness of these items to thieves (easily fenced)? Do you know and control what goes on them? If one of your execs pulls a Paris Hilton - do you know the potential damage to your company?

The SMS 2003 Device Management Feature Pack allows SMS 2003 to manage mobile devices running Windows CE (3.0 or later) and Windows Mobile software for Pocket PCs (2002 or later).