iPad Security

When considering iPad security you must understand the following points:

How to prevent unauthorized use of the iPad
Strong encryption techniques to protect data on the iPad, even when the iPad is stolen or lost
Network encryption and security of data transitted from an iPad to another device
Security for the iPad OS

Your iPad comes with some of the most striking security features. By following the rules mentioned below, you can make your iPad more safe and secure.

Prevent unauthorized access:
The most basic rule for protecting a device such as the iPad is to never leave it alone. Always keep your iPad with you or keep your eye on it. Even if you plan to leave it alone for short period of time, you must use the passcode feature. The passcode lock feature locks and passcode-protects your iPad when left unused for a specified period of time.

You can also adjust the minimum time after which the iPad would be automatically locked. The passcode lock has another secure feature - it can wipe out all your data after a specified number of failed unlock attempts. You can combine letters and numbers in your passcode to make it more secure, and set the passcode to expire after a number of days.

iPad usage restrictions:
The device restriction feature allows you to block specific applications (or “apps”) on your iPad for some or all users. The application includes network enabled apps such as YouTube or iTunes. You can also use device restrictions to disable the installation of new programs on your iPad. This feature lets you impose specific usage control policies for your employees using iPad.

Data Protection:
The most important assets stored in your iPad are your personal data and contacts. To ensure the iPad security, it is very important to use proper, state of the art standard encryption techniques. To make your task easier, your iPad offers you a 256 bit AES encoding procedure. This is a hardware-based encryption that is turned on by default and cannot be disabled by users. However, it is still important to use additional encryption methods to ensure iPad security. You also must back up all your important data.

Other data-protection features for iPad are remote wipe and local wipe. The remote wipe feature allows the user to remotely delete all the data present in the iPad and lock it, in case it is stolen or lost. Local wipe works in the same way; it deletes all data when a specified number of unsuccessful passcode attempts are made.

Ensure secure network communication:
One of the biggest benefits of the iPad is its portability. You can use it anywhere and at any time. However, if you are using your iPad for surfing the Internet and want to connect to it via a Wi-Fi hotspot, ensure that the network you are connecting to is a secure and trusted network. Always encrypt your data for transmission from your iPad to any other mobile device. Consider using a VPN (virtual private network). The iPad provides support for a number of VPN technologies like PPTP, CISCO IPSEC, and L2TP, providing you the highest level of encryption and security for transmitting sensitive data.

Always disable your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use. This will not only put your iPad on a battery saving mode; it will also prevent it from connecting to unidentified and insecure networks. Obtain free access to the “Find My iPad” feature through MobileMe. This feature allows you to track your iPad in case it is lost or stolen. Always keep your iPad up to date by checking and downloading the latest updates from Apple. And (last but not least), if you are going to jailbreak your iPad, be very careful as it will disable the security mechanism that Apple configured for your device.

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