Smartphones have become integral to our lives because they store our personal and sensitive information along with providing us the facility to make calls and send texts. The fear of losing your smartphone increases the fear of losing your important and personal data. Losing your smartphone or having it stolen can be a stressful experience, not only the cost of the device but also the potential loss of valuable data. Therefore, taking proactive steps to protect your important data in such unfortunate events is crucial.
This article will discuss some effective ways to protect your important data when your smartphone is lost or stolen.
Tactics To Protect Important Data When Smartphones Are Lost
It is essential to perform some effective actions to protect your data when your device is misplaced. Here you will get some effective tips to protect your important data:
Create a Strong Password
Creating a strong password or a biometric lock is your smartphone’s first defense. It is vital for you to set up a unique and complicated password that can be difficult for others. It will help you to protect your data from thieves. Biometric authentication techniques, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, have the capability to offer a security layer. These measures can prevent unauthorized access to your device and its sensitive data.
Activate Remote Tracking and Wiping
New models of smartphones are coming with a new built-in feature that allows you to track your phone and wipe your device remotely. Features like Find My iPhone for Apple and Find My Device for Android enable you to locate your stolen or lost smartphone. This will also enable you to take the necessary and efficient actions to help you find your smartphone. Moreover, these features allow you to wipe your personal data remotely to maintain your privacy. You should activate these features on your device and familiarize yourself with the associated procedures.
Enable Two-factors Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) helps you add an extra layer of security to your accounts. You should enable the 2AF verification method to safeguard your important and personal data. When you enable the 2AF, you must require a secondary verification method, such as a temporary code or push notification, and your password to access all your accounts. This way, even if someone gains unauthorized access to your smartphone, they still need an additional verification step to breach your accounts.
Back up Your Data Regularly
Backing up your data regularly is a smart strategy. It ensures you can recover important information even if your device is lost or stolen. You should use cloud-based services, such as iCloud for Apple and Google Drive for Android, to automatically back up your data. Cloud services have the ability to bake up files, such as images, videos and more. Doing so can restore your data to a new device and minimize the impact of losing your smartphone.
Change Passwords and Revoke Access
It is a basic step to change your password after when your smartphone gets stolen or lost. You must change your accounts’ passwords, especially those linked to financial or sensitive data. Moreover, you have to revoke any access permissions or push notifications associated with your devices, such as social media accounts or email clients. This will prevent anyone accessing your smartphone from gaining unauthorized entry into your accounts and minimize identity theft risk.
Utilize Encrypt Data Techniques
You can also utilize encrypting data techniques that will help you to put an extra layer of security against unauthorized access. Android and iOS devices offer encryption opportunities that can be enabled from the device settings. Encryption scrambles the data on your smartphone, making it unreadable without the encryption key. Encryption can prevent the thief from easily accessing sensitive data if your smartphone falls into the wrong hands.
Notify Your Service Provider
You should contact your service providers and give them information about the incident. This technique will help you to suspend your SIM cards and save potential financial loss. In addition, it helps you prevent unauthorized access to your phone number, minimizing the chances of misuse. Your service provider may also assist you in tracking your smartphone. Service provider companies are also able to provide additional security measures to safeguard your data.
Conclusion
Misplacing a smartphone or having it stolen is a painful experience because of losing important data. However, following some effective strategies enables you to protect your data, such as enabling remote tracking and wiping, backing up your data regularly, and encrypting techniques. You can also inform your service provider about the incident, which will block your SIM card so thieves can not misuse your identity to commit fraud with someone. It is recommended to report the police in the city where the theft occurred or you lost your smartphone. This will help you to find out your lost or stolen smartphone.
