Have you ever considered what you would need to do if you lost your mobile phone? Today, we depend more than ever on our mobile devices. Since it has evolved into our most private computer, losing, stealing, or being hacked could result in disaster for many of us.
Few things may immediately cause fear like a lost laptop or mobile phone. These things contain a significant portion of our existence like confidential documents, bank information, apps, passwords, images, movies,
and a lot more. Even the information in your wallet is less personal than what is on your mobile device. Being your digital footprint makes losing or stealing your device alarming.
An estimated 70 million smartphones are lost each year. Less than 7% are recovered by the owners. Theft at work happens all too frequently. Fifty-two percent of stolen devices are lost in the workplace.
Even worse if the missing device is a business laptop or smartphone. This can indicate that a data privacy violation has occurred at the business. It might also be the target of a ransomware assault coming from the stolen device.
If you have ever lost or had your phone stolen, you are familiar with the terror that results. Almost everything from your daily life, including memories with family and friends, where you should be at any given moment, medical and financial information, may be stored on and accessed through your phone. As a result, it’s critical to take all reasonable precautions to safeguard your personal information in the event that something similar occurs.
Steps to Reduce Risk When your Mobile Device Goes Missing
As we previously shared, if a mobile device is missing, it is critical to act quickly. The actions you should take as soon as you discover your device is missing are listed below.
Turn on the “Lock My Device” feature
The majority of computers and mobile devices come with a “lock my device” feature. If you have it enabled, remote activation is possible. Additionally, you must turn on “location services.” Even though skilled criminals might be able to decipher a passcode, turning it on right away can hinder them. In the same setup area, a “locate my device” feature is typically accessible as well. Use this only if you believe your device has been lost but not stolen in order to try to find it. You don’t want to meet crooks in person!
Report the missing device to your company if it is utilized at work
Inform your employer right away if you use the smartphone for any business purposes. An endpoint device management is widely used by businesses. Access to the corporate network might be instantly suspended in this scenario. Your employer can reduce risk of data being breached if you report your missing gadget right away.
Revoke & Log Out Use of SaaS tools
Persistent logins are available for SaaS (Software as a Service) products on most mobile devices. These are accounts such as Salesforce, Microsoft 365, Trello, and others. Use a different device to access your account via a web application. Then visit your account’s settings and find the allowed device section. The missing device must be found and the service must be terminated on it. Then, if this is a choice, revoke access. This removes the device’s connection to your account, preventing access for the thief.
Turn on the “Wipe My Device” feature
We hope you are regularly backing up all of your hardware. In the event of a lost device, this guarantees you have a copy of all your files. Does it appear that the item has been stolen or lost forever rather than just being lost or misplaced? If so, if a remote “wash my device” feature has been configured, you should use it. The data on the hard drive will be deleted.
Tips to Keep Mobile Devices Safe
Spend some time safeguarding your mobile device. Here are some tips for protecting your mobile phone:
- In a public setting, never leave your phone unattended.
- Your smartphone should be password-protected and set to automatically lock after a certain amount of time.
- When using websites for online banking and shopping, always log out and avoid choosing the “remember me” option.
- Use mobile device protection, such as antivirus software, internet and app security, and anti-theft software, which can backup and restore your phone’s data as well as remotely locate it and erase it in the event of loss or theft.
Please reach out to Frank Stephens at [email protected] or 847-894-6304 if you are unsure or know that your employees’ mobile devices are not fully protected to discuss security options.