Lookout for iPhone

Unlike their iOS owners don't have to worry about catching a virus just yet. There's virtually no malware being written for iOS because it's a far more difficult operating system to crack. Instead, when people talk about iOS security it's really about protecting against man-made threats like losing your iDevice, accidentally erasing your data, or failing to update your OS to the latest and most secure version. Fortunately, there are a couple apps to save you from yourself.

Eight-year-old Lookout, a pioneer in dedicated mobile security suites, aims to offer iPhone and iPad owners complete peace of mind while using their devices with the free released last October. This app isn't as comprehensive as ($19.99), but it does offer sufficient protection against, well yourself. According to Lookout the three most common self-inflicted disasters on iOS are losing your phone, accidentally wiping out your phone, and ignorantly putting your iPhone in vulnerable situations. The app is packaged in a user interface that's so simple and intuitive, even your mom could actively manage it. The app also gets bonus marks for being free and lightweight (according to Lookout, running this app for five days only decreases your phone battery by 1.7 percent).

Get started by downloading the app from the App Store. From there, sign up for a Lookout account with your email address. The app takes a few seconds to scan your device's security settings, location settings, etc., and then displays the status of your iPhone's resistance against the following three nightmare scenarios in the main dashboard.

Nightmare scenario 1: you lost your phone
If you've lost your iPhone, this app will find it. Simply log into your account at mylookout.com from any computer and, if your phone's GPS is activated, you can see exactly where your iPhone is on a map. Similarly, the popular app can help Apple users find misplaced iOS devices and Macs by simply installing the app on another device.  

If your missing iPhone is connected to the Internet you can also use Lookout to emit a shrill sound on your iPhone, which is really only helpful if the phone is within ear's distance. This siren call is VERY LOUD even if your phone is on silent, and blares for 60 seconds or until you switch off your device. It won't convince a thief to turn in your phone, but it'll probably scare the living daylights out of him or her. Find My iPhone app plays a (milder) sound.  

Unfortunately this app doesn't protect against theft, and critically, against data theft. Products like McAfee WaveSecure iOS Edition, , , , and even Lookout's own Android-supporting can remotely lock and/or wipe out your phone, providing the most comprehensive protection against data theft.

Nightmare scenario 2: you lost your contact list
Like , , and others, Lookout for iPhone backs up your contact list. It does this quietly throughout the day, so you don't have to manually back up your contact list like you do with some of the other apps. If you do lose your contacts, you can log onto Mylookout.com and remotely restore all or some of the contacts stored from your last backup.

McAfee WaveSecure iOS Edition goes one step further in backing up photos and videos, while iOS 5's own backs up everything on your phone. Lookout folks told me they're looking into making this iPhone app as full-featured as its Android counterpart, when it comes to backing up other data. I can't imagine a scenario in which you'd lose your contacts and nothing else.

Nightmare scenario 3: you're a mobile security ignoramus
Apart from losing your iPhone, other risky mobile behaviors include using a jailbroken device, connecting to unencrypted Wi-Fi, and using an outdated version of iOS (a more common problem on the fragmented Android OS). Lookout sends push alerts when it detects any of these situations. I found the push alerts for unencrypted Wi-Fi especially helpful over Christmas break, when I relied completely on Wi-Fi connections during a trip home to Hong Kong. If Lookout detects such a connection, you're advised not to send any data over the network that you wouldn't want others to see, including emails or typing in passwords.

Mom-friendly UI
Lookout is remarkably easy to navigate, as the slideshow images above show; Lookout co-founder and CTO Kevin Mahaffey told me it was designed with his mom in mind. If my mom had an iPhone, I'd recommend this app to her, too.

You can manage all your connected iDevices at mylookout.com. Lookout also emails weekly security bulletins showing the status of your devices' security features, specifically if your OS is up to date and the Missing Device feature is on. The newsletter also lists any changes to your contact list during the week, like who you've deleted or added.

Lookout for iPhone isn't the most comprehensive iOS security product out there, but it's sufficient, and it successfully eliminates major barriers to downloading a mobile security app in the first place: cost and battery life. Unless you’re willing to pay for iOS protection, Lookout for iPhone deserves a spot in your app library.   

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