LoJack For Your Cell Phone

A company from India has a new protection software for your cell phone called Maverick Secure Mobile. There are several features that make this type of protection well worth it. First it encrypts the data on your cell phone and also calls home via a text message to let you know where your cell phone is. This feature is kind of like an E.T. which calls home, says the NY Times article.

One other feature that sounds promising is that the protection sounds a loud siren on your stolen phone to annoy the thief. Nice touch. According to the article is also states:

The Maverick software is hidden on a phone, so a potential thief can’t tell whether or not your phone has it. You give the company a second phone number — your spouse’s or a friend’s, for example. As soon as a thief replaces your SIM card with his own, the phone encrypts all of your remaining data, like your phone book, photos or text messages, so the thief can’t see them. It also sends that data to your second phone so that you have it.

Then you can start playing tricks on the thief. By sending text message commands, you can see all the phone calls and text messages he sends or receives and any new contacts he enters in the phone book. With a feature called Spy Call, you can call your phone and eavesdrop on the thief’s calls — without him knowing. Then, when you get really exasperated, you can make the phone play a blaring siren. Just when he is about to toss your screaming phone in the trash, you can send him a text message with your name, location and, if you want, a reward for returning the phone.

Though the software is currently in beta [testing], it seems like the company has already cut a deal with Nokia. I can see the benefits of the software, especially if it annoys the bad guy.

http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2008/09/15/lojack-for-your-cell-phone/