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See other news storiesNew technologies to protect the public from mobile phone crime
11 February 2010
Three design innovations to tackle mobile phone crime have been unveiled. These include a device that locks a phone and alerts the owner if it’s lost or stolen.
Security challenge
The prototypes were developed by teams of designers and technology experts as part of the mobile phone security challenge. The challenge is an initiative from the Home Office design and technology alliance, and the Design Council. The Technology Strategy Board has also provided support and funding.
The aim is to protect people from crimes such as mobile phone identity fraud, which rose by over 70 per cent in 2009. Entrants were asked to make phones more secure and to prevent unauthorised use of mobiles for electronic ‘contactless’ payments, which will soon become widespread in the UK.
Design solutions
The three design solutions are:
• i-migo – this is a small device that the user keeps about their person. The i-migo sounds an alert and locks the handset if it’s taken out of a set range, either through theft or loss. The i-migo also provides automated backup of important data, using Bluetooth technology
• the ‘tie’ solution – this electronically matches a handset to a SIM card and protects data stored on the handset with a password and encryption. If stolen, the handset cannot be used with another SIM card and data such as saved passwords, browsed websites and contacts cannot be accessed and used by criminals for fraudulent purposes
• TouchSafe – this aims to make ‘m-commerce’ transactions more secure. The user carries a small card which, when in contact with the phone, enables the transaction. Touch Safe uses the same technology as the Oyster travel card system.
Potential
Home Office minister Alan Campbell said: ‘I believe the solutions developed by this challenge have the potential to be as successful as previous innovations like chip and pin, which reduced fraud on lost or stolen cards to an all-time low, and would encourage industry to continue working with us and take them up.’
The design and technology alliance and the Design Council will be calling for the mobile phone industry to protect their customers by adopting these innovative security technologies.
