(Source: Gartner, "Don''t Use SMS for Confidential Information)

Also, hardware to intercept GSM communications is readily available, and if you're texting to or from a foreign country, your data may not be as protected as you would expect.

The bottom line is that anything which is textually transmitted can be intercepted and read by a third party.

What about protection?

There is a way to render your SMS messages unreadable to everyone except the intended recipient - encrypt them, using the same level of encryption as on-line banking. Encrypt them before they leave your phone, and only decrypt them after they have been delivered to the recipient's phone.

All this is possible with Extended SMS - xSMS.

FEATURES:

• Fully integrated with the existing SMS functionality of Windows Mobile 5 and 6
• xSMS messages indicated in the Inbox with a ''Shield'' icon
• Messages opened, replied to, forwarded and deleted in the usual way
• xSMS messages created by selecting New -> xSMS from the Inbox menu
• Specify a different encryption key for each message

BENEFITS:

• Keeps personal information personal
• Allows confidential data to be sent with confidence, with many commercial applications
• Makes message interception a futile excercise, as messages are illegible until successfully delivered and decrypted
• Allows xSMS message to different recipients to be encrytped using different keys

Flaunt your textuality.