Prototype Windows Phone Stolen from Telstra CEO

By Greg McNevin

February 19, 2009: Shortly after proudly announcing it’s world-beating Next G mobile network, the theft of a top-secret phone from CEO Sol Trujillo has left Telstra somewhat red-faced and Microsoft nursing a security headache.

The phone, thought to be a HTC Touch Pro2 or Diamond 2 and running Microsoft’s next generation Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, was given to Mr Trujillo as a preview and was stolen from a senior Telstra executive by a pickpocket.

As Microsoft has only just unveiled the new OS and has not even given journalists a hands-on yet, the theft has left Microsoft at risk of industrial espionage, and could prove to be quite damaging if the phone ends up in the wrong hands and flaws are exposed in the software before it is finalised.

While the incident could have been much worse had the smart phone had contained documents, emails or other communications information from the telco’s CEO, it still highlights the risks that easily-misplaced or stolen mobile devices can pose to organisations if they are not adequately secured.

Windows Mobile 6.5 is due for release at the end of 2009.

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