We're attached to our phones, but we don't take the best care of the data they contain.
A survey of 1000 Australians for Intel Security suggests many of us are behaving in ways inconsistent with the value we place on our smartphones.
Although 17% of respondents said they would hand over their phone to a stranger in exchange for $1000 or more, "60% would never give up their phone to a stranger as the content is 'priceless'," according to an Intel Security spokesperson.
It's tempting to read too much into such responses. If the data on the phone is encrypted, backed up and protected with a strong passphrase, you've set up remote wipe functionality, and you can replace the phone for significantly less than you're offered, why wouldn't you take the money?
{loadposition stephen08}The survey also found security software was not installed on 65% of Australians' mobiles.
This could be due to the iPhone's relatively strong position in the installed base. Several of the features commonly found in security software (eg, remote wipe) are a standard part of iOS, and the way Apple's App Store acts as the single source for iOS apps for non-jailbroken devices greatly reduces the likelihood of users installing fake or Trojanised versions.
Another consideration could be a reluctance to be seen using a "nana phone" (no complaints please, this writer is old enough to be a grandparent) in public, especially when a low-end smartphone only costs a few tens of dollars more. If you only use the phone for calls and SMS/MMS, you probably wouldn't think about installing security software, and there's not much it could do for you anyway.