Exploring the information security practices on the smartphone by the postgraduate students of University of Calicut

his paper aims to report on the information security practices on the smartphone by the students of the University of Calicut, Kerala. Data were gathered by using a survey questionnaire which was administered to 344 smartphone cohorts at the postgraduate level. The study findings reported the scanty knowledge of the participants regarding the issues and risks associated with smartphones even though most of the respondents were aware of the information security practices available in the smartphones. The data analysis delineated the habit of students storing secret and sensitive information like ATM password, bank or credit card account details and personal photos on their smartphones. Data leakage resulting from device loss or theft was the major security risk faced by the participants. The number of participants misplaces their smartphone also found high. Data backup and blocking the device once lost were the major security practices adopted by the participants to recover from the disaster. This is to be sure, first of its kind study to survey the postgraduate students at the university level in India and the findings of the study would help the smartphone users in general and students in particular to protect their information stored in their smartphones