Apple has posted two security expert job ads after its employees lost two iPhone prototypes in two years.

In 2010, it was the iPhone 4 prototype, which ended up in the hands of tech publication Gizmodo. In 2011, it was presumably the iPhone 5 prototype.

So far, there have been no announcement or reports that Apple has successfully recovered the iPhone 5 prototype. However, what was reported - that Apple employees, accompanied by the police, search a private citizen's home but failed to find the prototype - is embarrassing at best.

For tech companies like Apple, intellectual property (IP) and knowledge is their life blood. As such, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company has been taking more and more steps to protect them.

Protecting Prototypes

Although it's not officially confirmed, there is a good chance Apple posted its security job ads in response to the lost iPhone 5 prototype.

The positions' responsibility is overseeing the protection of, and managing risks to, Apple's unreleased products and related intellectual property while considering the impact on corporate culture, business operations, system architectures, manufacturing processes, and employee workflows.

The easiest way for Apple to not lose its prototypes is for engineers to not carry them around to bars. However, if that interferes with employee workflows, these security professional may just have to be really good at tracking down devices misplaced by engineers.

Suing Competitors

Apple is extremely active when it comes to lawsuits.

Currently, Apple is suing HTC and Samsung for allegedly copying various aspects of the iPhone and iPad.

Its latest victory was pushing Samsung to pull its Galaxy Tab 7.7 from the IFA consumer-electronics show in Berlin. Apple has also forced Samsung to suspend sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia and Germany.

Raiding Chinese Counterfeiters

In 2008, Apple hired a team of security experts from Pfizer to fight Chinese counterfeiters.

The key is to convince Chinese officials to make life uncomfortable for counterfeiters, including conducting raids against them and seizing their fake products.

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