Microsoft® .NET Compact Framework (Core Reference)

Securing Data on the Device

What about data stored on the device? You might think that as long as a strong power-on password is in use on the device, an intruder cannot read the contents of that device if the device is lost or stolen. However, passwords are notoriously unreliable as a means of securing resources because users have a nasty habit of writing them down on pieces of paper, turning them off, or setting them to something easily guessed, such as the first name of their spouse. Stronger user authentication measures such as signature recognition or smart card authentication (or other means mentioned in the section "Contemplating User Authentication" earlier in this chapter) can lessen the risk of data stored on the device falling into the ...