| The movie Little Black Book features a young woman, | | | | hacker. Sometimes you just want to keep your |
| Stacy, who is frustrated when her boyfriend refuses | | | | information from prying eyes. Just because you |
| to share information about his past relationships. When | | | | labeled something as private in your PDA doesn't |
| his PDA, a Palm Tungsten C, falls into her hands, she is | | | | mean someone else can't read it. It depends on what |
| faced with a conundrum. Does she give it back, or | | | | application you synchronize with. If you sync with |
| does she explore it? If she gave it back, we wouldn't | | | | Outlook, records that are private on your PDA may be |
| have a movie, now would we? Stacy then proceeds | | | | public in Outlook.The best way to protect passwords |
| to identify his ex-girlfriends and contact them. Let the | | | | and PIN numbers is to store them in a password |
| games begin.Could this really happen? Of course it | | | | application that encrypts the data. The best |
| could. Most PDA's contain a plethora of information | | | | applications have both a PDA application and a |
| about a person and their activities, their digital footprints. | | | | desktop application that allows access to the |
| People store contact information, appointments, | | | | information from either system. The trouble is |
| meetings and midnight rendezvous'. They store | | | | converting that data from whatever format it's in |
| passwords, login ID's and PIN numbers. They have | | | | currently. I've struggled with this one myself. There is |
| photos of people they know and sometimes in | | | | no easy method I've found so far. Just set aside time |
| awkward circumstances. It's a lot to have to explain. | | | | to copy and paste the data into the password |
| The courts are only beginning to grapple with how to | | | | application. It might take a few hours to get that |
| handle the content in a PDA. One person's little black | | | | information into a secure application.If you're worried |
| book can be very incriminating indeed.For the rest of | | | | about someone viewing your schedule, the best |
| us, we have nothing as exotic; however, we are all in | | | | approach is to archive your past history periodically. |
| danger of exposure and threat. Identify theft has | | | | Outlook has settings that allow you to specify to how |
| become one of the largest white-collar crimes. There | | | | often calendar events will be archived. This will wipe |
| is enough information in the average PDA for | | | | the history from your PDA also. Archives are usually |
| someone to take over your life. So, what's the | | | | stored in an external file that can be accessed later.If |
| solution? Give up your PDA? No. You face the same | | | | you have incriminating photos, delete them. If you want |
| problem with the typical day planner. It has all of the | | | | a copy, save it on external media like tape, CD and |
| same information, it's just not as accessible. In fact, a | | | | flash ROM. For contacts, you can archive them or |
| PDA has certain advantages over a planner. You can | | | | simply move the record to an external file. Outlook |
| password protect some of the data. You can even | | | | allows you to create a .pst file that you can use to |
| encrypt data. Most importantly, you have a backup. | | | | save email, calendar, address, tasks, or other |
| The data is safely stored on your computer and | | | | information. Once you move a record, it will be |
| archived on external media if you have taken the | | | | removed from your PDA.And, don't forget to delete |
| proper steps.That duplication of data also means an | | | | the cookies and memory cache on your PDA's web |
| identity thief has more ways to get to it. So, what can | | | | browser. Remember that website you checked out |
| you do? Well, the first concern is to make sure that | | | | last week? Is that something you want everyone else |
| you backup your data. Synchronize your PDA at least | | | | to know about? I don't think so.Don't forget physical |
| daily. I synchronize my Treo 600 2-3 times each day, | | | | security; keep an eye on your PDA. It's possible to |
| usually when I arrive at my office or leave it. Backing | | | | take steps to protect your data and remove your |
| up your data means that you should be creating a | | | | digital footprints. Protect your little black book and it will |
| copy on tape, CD, zip disk, flash ROM or other | | | | protect you.Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro, is the PDA |
| external media and storing it offsite. If you are not, you | | | | Coach for productivity anytime, anywhere. He is a |
| are asking for trouble and your business is at risk. If | | | | national speaker on business productivity and sales. |
| your PDA is ever stolen, you will need to restore that | | | | Rick is President of StratAchieve, a company |
| data on a new PDA.Next, you need to minimize the | | | | specializing in coaching services to improve productivity |
| amount of data someone can actually access. Let's | | | | and increase revenues. For more information, visit his |
| face it, if a hacker really wants to get your data, they | | | | website at or call (800) 677-6708. |
| will succeed. However, not every criminal is a super | | | | |