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It's hard to feel bad for hotel heiress Paris Hilton since she's rich, famous and beautiful. However, she had it tough last week when the PIM data was hacked
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from her Danger Sidekick II account and posted on the Web, exposing celebrities' phone numbers, personal notes and, um, more for all to see.
Even if you're not an international jet-setter, Paris proves that anyone and any device can be a target. Fortunately good policy can mitigate security risks. First, disable any Bluetooth or Wi-Fi functionality unless you know how to use it safely. Also make sure your passwords aren't easy to guess, that your OS software/firmware is up to date and that you're wary of file downloads.
Finally, if your handheld has an integrated camera, don't take pictures of anything you wouldn't want your mom and your boss to see. After all, as Paris can tell you, you never know where your data might end up.
This column originally appeared in our newsletter SearchMobileComputing.com This Week. To sign up, edit your profile and select "updates on new site content."