[February 27, 2012]

Credant Surveys San Francisco Hotels and Finds Thousands of Mobile Devices Are Lost and Unclaimed by Business Travelers and Consumers

Credant Technologies, the trusted expert in data protection, today announced results of a San Francisco-based hotel survey, looking at the number of lost mobile devices by business travelers and consumers around the Moscone Center, just blocks from a number of major hotel chains. In total, 2,316 mobile devices, including smart phones, tablets, laptops and USB drives, were left behind in guest rooms, hotel bars and lobbies. Surprisingly, one hotel chain reported that 92 percent of lost devices were never claimed.

Credant's survey focused on major chain hotels with properties in San Francisco, including Four Seasons, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Marriott and the Ritz Carlton. With more than 2,300 laptops, tablets, smartphones and USB drives left behind in guest rooms, hotel bars and lobbies, the findings support the need for careful data protection for mobile devices.

Tweet This: "@Credant survey finds travelers left 2,300+ #smartphones, #tablets, #laptops and #USB drives at SF hotels."

The more than 2,300 lost mobile devices were as follows:

• 1,882 (81 percent) were smartphones or tablets
• 267 (12 percent) were laptops and
• 167 (7 percent) were USB drives.

"Our latest survey demonstrates the need for travelers and people on the move to be vigilat about mobile data security," said Darren Shimkus, senior vice president of marketing at Credant Technologies (News - Alert). "Protecting data on mobile devices eliminates the long term consequences potentially associated with lost or stolen devices, namely regaining the trust of customers, employers, vendors, partners and coworkers exposed to identity theft or corporate espionage because you left your USB stick in your hotel room."

Further survey findings show that more than 74 percent of lost devices were left behind at Union Square and Financial District properties, locations popular with business travelers and conference attendees. When asked to identify peak periods when devices are more frequently left behind, 40 percent cited summer and convention times.

The survey reveals that lost devices are only half the problem. On average 45 percent of all missing devices go unclaimed, putting personal and enterprise data at serious risk indefinitely.

"In the wake of these findings, it's important for IT administrators to remind corporate travelers and convention goers of three simple measures to prevent data from falling into the wrong hands," said Geoff Webb, director of product marketing. "First, password protect with a strong password only you know. Second, encrypt the data - never assume the finder won't snoop around. And finally, keep track of your mobile devices. You'll be glad you did."

Click here to view Credant's "I Left My Data in San Francisco" infographic.

Survey Methodology
Credant Technologies interviewed lost and found departments at 20 local San Francisco and South San Francisco hotels to find out what wireless devices were left behind by travelers and convention goers. Outreach was conducted to 39 hotels - of which 51.28% participated in the phone survey. Two additional hotels declined participation citing privacy issues, and 17 hotels were unreachable.

About Credant Technologies

Credant Technologies is the trusted expert in data protection. Founded in 2001, Credant's solutions comprehensively address the leading enterprise security issues of controlling, managing and protecting data located on desktops, laptops, smart phones, removable media or private or public cloud infrastructures. Credant Technologies' flagship product, Credant Mobile Guardian, offers the broadest range of integrated enterprise solutions. Investors are Austin Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Crescendo Ventures, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO), and Intel (News - Alert) Capital (NASDAQ:INTC). For more information, visit www.Credant.com.

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