Online backup for mobile devices: Key factors to consider
Most technology users keep personal information (contacts, calendars, documents, photos, etc.) on their mobile devices. That information isn’t protected if the mobile is lost/stolen.
Criminals frequently target mobile devices for access to vulnerable information (credit card numbers, passwords, etc.) because the security on a lot of mobile devices is minimal – some have no protection at all. Raghu Kulkarni, CEO of IDrive, says: “It is essential to have data protected with an online backup plan so, in the event a mobile device is lost or stolen, the data is secure and recoverable.”
Kulkarni advises backing up data on mobile devices with a cloud-based online backup service. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing a service:
Mobile Backup/Restore Ability – Make sure the service is able to backup and restore the critical information on a mobile. Not all service providers include mobile devices in their plans.
Security – It’s important to find an online backup service that offers data encryption for mobile devices. Encrypting data makes it unreadable without the key, ensuring that backed up data is secure and inaccessible. Some services offer the option of a private encryption key that only the user knows – so data cannot be accessed by anyone, except the user (not even the service provider can access the data).
Cross platform capabilities – Make sure the backed up mobile data is accessible from a computer. Remote management is important in the event a mobile is lost/stolen. With cross platform capabilities, a user can login to the backup service from the web and manage the mobile data from anywhere. Users can unlink devices from their account, preventing any information in the backup set from being accessed via the mobile device. It’s also important to check that a service provider offers backup capabilities to all necessary platforms (iOS, Android, and Windows) so that data can be transferred or restored from one to another, if needed.
Online backup services and disaster recovery plans are constantly improving security features and mobile capabilities. Don’t let your mobile data go unprotected. There are plenty of options to suffice; secure data now on that mobile device.