I see it time and time again.  The guy in front of me grabs his phone and with a quick flick of his thumb pays his bill with a smartphone enabled app like Dwolla.  A woman pulls a phone out of her purse and unlocks the door and starts her car using the new GM OnStar app.  You know what’s the same about both situations?  Neither of them see the need to use a PIN, password or biometric security function on their “phone”.

The arguments are all the same.  “It’s just a phone, chill.” “I buy the insurance in case it’s lost or stolen.” “Do you know what a pain it is to enter a PIN just to make a call?”  Yeah…I get it.  Security is quite a pain.  Imagine for a minute you’re sitting at your favorite coffee shop.  The phone in your pocket is uncomfortable so you take it out and sit it on the table. 

After a minute you jump up to get another cup of coffee.  The phone remains on the table.  Would you do this with your checkbook, your debit/credit card?  How about your car keys?  What about a printed piece of paper with all of your passwords?  How many of those are on your phone?  What else wouldn’t you leave unattended on the table if it were in its “original or non-virtual” form.

I know security is a pain.  As a consultant I have more VPN key fobs, building access cards and other security stuff than most of you.  Trust me, I get it…security is not always convenient.   Growing up our parents taught us to protect things like our wallet, keys and other personal items that had value to others.  It’s time we stop thinking about the relatively low cost of our smartphone hardware and the irreplaceable cost of some of the data on that smartphone.  BTW…Watch out during this holiday buying season.  Pickpockets aren’t as interested in your wallet anymore.  Your phone has access to way more purchasing power that a couple of $20 dollar bills.