Handheld data protection using handheld usage pattern identification

Mobile handheld devices such as smart cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are easily lost because of their small sizes and high mobility. Personal data like addresses and telephone numbers stored in the devices are revealed when the devices are lost. This research proposes a novel approach of applying handheld usage pattern identification to handheld data protection. Handheld usage data is collected before applying this method. Usage patterns are discovered and saved by using a finite automaton, which is then used to check device usage. When an unusual usage pattern such as an unlawful user trying to access the handheld data is detected, the device will automatically lock itself down until an action, like entering a password, is taken. Preliminary experimental results show this method is effective and convenient for handheld data protection.