Mobile Minute:
Mobile security experts say that one in 10 Americans is a victim of smartphone theft, and now the state of California is taking action. This week California became the first state to pass a “kill switch” law requiring all smartphones sold in the state to come with remote deactivation as a default setting. If the phone is lost or stolen, the owner can disable it remotely.
Minnesota preceded California in passing a kill switch law, but did not require the kill switch to be the phone’s default. Users there need to turn it on themselves, if they know it is an option.
Wireless device makers and carriers have until July 2015 to comply with the new law. Because California is such a large market, it is likely that a significant percentage of the smartphones sold in the United States after July 1, 2015, will come with remote deactivation capability as a default setting.
Wireless carriers have had mixed reactions to the kill switch, with some raising concerns that hackers could get control of remote deactivation clients and disable phones.
Earlier this year, wireless trade association CTIA announced a voluntary anti-theft program that includes the participation of all the major U.S. carriers, as well as Apple, Samsung, Google, HTC, Huawei, Motorola Mobility and Microsoft. This measure would give consumers the option of downloading remote deactivation software for phones that do not have the software pre-loaded.
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