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Consumers Lost Thousands of Smartphones at the Busiest Shopping Malls in the United States According to Credant Survey

Addison, Texas — November 14, 2011 — Credant Technologies,the trusted expert in data protection, today announced the results of its most recent survey of the number of wireless devices lost and found at 15 of the busiest shopping malls in America. Credant found that nearly 2,200 hand-held devices were lost in 2011 at just those 15 malls, and surprisingly, half of all devices (1,100) were never claimed by their owners.

With “Black Friday” and the official holiday shopping season weeks away, lost and unsecured mobile devices make for easy targets during the holiday season and throughout the year. A recent survey conducted by Dimensional Research shows that 90 percent of employees use personal devices such as laptops, mobile phones and tablets for work-related purposes while consulting firm Chadwick Martin Bailey found that 41 percent of smartphone users have recently purchased something online using their wireless device. With these devices being used more and more to work, shop, bank online, and to access social media websites, both corporations and consumers shouldn’t think of security as an afterthought.

“Unsuspecting smartphone users have become victims of identity theft and fraud crimes perpetrated by criminals and the evidence is that these devices are increasingly a target of choice,” according to Seán Glynn, vice president of marketing for Credant Technologies. “The vast majority of corporations, and consumers for that matter, are just now realizing the inherent dangers that come with having such a plethora of sensitive information stored on these mobile devices.”

Credant’s research was aimed at increasing awareness of the potential hazards of mobile phone ownership, while at the same time educating consumers and employers on the practical and easy steps that can be taken to protect vital information stored and accessed through mobile devices. During Credant’s research, they found 92 percent of lost devices were either smartphones or tablet, and of those, 60 percent were left in food courts and 40 percent in restrooms.

Based on these results, Credant offers simple measures to protect information on wireless devices:

• Put your device away in a safe place when visiting mall facilities. A good offense is your best defense. While you’re in the food court, tuck your device into a pocket or purse, and the same rules apply for the visit to the restroom. Whatever breaking news you’re anticipating can wait until you’ve finished your meal or washed your hands.
• Password protect wireless devices with a password only you know (but can remember as well). If you think 12345 or ‘password’ are secure – think again. And, with social media applications, be sure your personal posted information is no longer a part of your password.
• Encrypt valuable data. Whether it’s lost or stolen, don’t count on the finder not snooping around. Whether it’s financial, health or company information, lock it down as tightly as possible, as the consequences of not doing so can be significant.

“The holiday shopping season has proven to be a popular time for criminals to seek financial gain through lost or stolen mobile devices. The pervasiveness of mobile devices is wonderful for growth of business and specifically e-commerce, but at the same time it’s very important to be smart and to take a practical approach to securing the device and the data on it,” added Glynn.

Survey Methodology

Credant Technologies interviewed lost and found departments in 15 of the largest US shopping malls to find out what wireless devices were most likely to be left behind by customers. Outreach was conducted to 54 malls -- of which 28 percent participated in the phone survey: 44 percent declined to participate citing privacy issues and the remaining 28 percent were unreachable. Respondents represent all regions of the US and 26 percent of the responding malls are ranked among the top ten largest US shopping malls.

About Credant Technologies

Credant Technologies is the trusted expert in data protection. Founded in 2001, Credant’s solutions comprehensively address the leading enterprise security issues of controlling, managing and protecting data located on desktops, laptops, smart phones, removable media or private or public cloud infrastructures. Credant Technologies’ flagship product, Credant Mobile Guardian, offers the broadest range of integrated enterprise solutions. Investors are Austin Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Crescendo Ventures, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO), and Intel Capital (NASDAQ:INTC). For more information, visit www.credant.com.

Media Contact:
Nina Gill
Schwartz Communications
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