Over a third of IT professionals are failing to adequately secure mobile devices, according to new research.

Although 78 per cent of IT managers admit having sensitive information on their mobile devices including emails and passwords, 38 per cent do not protect their data.

Only 62 per cent of the IT professionals surveyed by iAnywhere Solutions say they protect information via encryption, passwords or Pin codes, with the remainder leaving data stored on laptops, PDAs and mobile phones potentially accessible to criminal activity.

The research also shows that public transport is the most usual place to lose mobile devices with 57 per cent of respondents leaving devices on tubes and trains.

One respondent admitted leaving his phone in a petrol station with all Pin numbers for credit cards listed in it.

Some 53 per cent of respondents said they can remotely wipe their Blackberry device after losing it, while other devices such as pocket PCs, laptops and smartphones appeared to be almost totally unprotected.

Mike Oliver, EMEA marketing manager for iAnywhere, said: ‘It is alarming that so many IT managers are still failing to protect their mobile data. Even enforcing a simple PIN code on a mobile device goes a long way towards stopping a third party from accessing sensitive and often critical information should the device be lost or stolen.’

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