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The actual situation regarding lost items on smartphones

Do you know the movie "Stolen Identity" (Original: Akira Teshigawara, Director: Hideo Nakata) released in November 2018? The story is that a mediocre office worker drops his smartphone, and her lover is exposed to relentless attacks such as credit card billing, personal information collection using SNS, spoofing, and smartphone hijacking. The modern fear of smartphones, which everyone can lose, has become a hot topic.

I think there are many people who have actually dropped their smartphones. According to a survey by MAMORIO Co., Ltd., which operates "lost and found dot com," the "2018 version of the fact-finding survey on" lost and found "", wallets and bags occupy the top spots, but mobile phones are also ranked fourth. Because it is a smartphone that you carry around with you, there is a high possibility that you will lose it.

However, it is not enough to just lose the smartphone. Smartphones, which have made great strides as a communication tool, are full of private information. Once you have access to your smartphone, you'll be flooded with apps that allow you to shop. In recent years, in response to the trend toward cashless payments, electronic money functions such as Suica and credit card payments have become possible. The risk of loss exceeds that of a wallet, and it can be said that it reigns as the top of the things that you definitely do not want to drop.

Risks to consider if you lose your smartphone

If you lose your smartphone, the last fort will be an authentication function. In recent years, things that are difficult to break through, such as fingerprint authentication and face recognition, are installed, but if they are also broken, you can access the inside of your smartphone. In such a case, what kind of situation should be expected?

It can be said that the realization of a cashless society is even premised on having a smartphone. Now you can buy anything with just one smartphone. I think there are many people who have registered multiple cards such as transportation IC cards and credit cards on their smartphones. Recently, as a result of aggressive campaigns by QR code payment providers, the number of users is increasing. In other words, the number of users who lose their smartphones is directly linked to the risk of misuse of cashless payments. Many users of EC apps such as Amazon and Rakuten are set not to authenticate each time in order to save time and effort. However, sparing that effort can be a major security risk in the event of loss.

Smartphones are also said to be a treasure trove of private information. You can easily take and save photos and videos anytime, anywhere, so if you can access your smartphone even if you are a stranger, your private information such as family relationships and the existence of your lover will be naked. In recent years, communication has become mainly SNS, and data on communication with family and lovers is accumulated on smartphones. The information leaked when lost is not limited to your own, but extends to your important family and lover.

When reselling a smartphone as a used smartphone, it is traded at a price of over 100,000 yen depending on the model. Recently, with the spread of flea market apps, it has become easier to resell and monetize without going to the purchase store. In some cases, smartphones picked up by the side of the road are resold. In that case, it is thought that the smartphone will not come back to hand first. If the reseller does not try to access the data inside the terminal and initializes and sells it, the actual damage is still small. However, it should be noted that the awareness of trading places such as the dark market is increasing, and resale may cause further damage.

A smartphone that attracts attention to the risks of losing it so much that it is made into a movie. I definitely don't want to lose it, but I can't deny that it may be lost because I carry it with me. Then, what should we do if we should lose our smartphone?

It is necessary to take immediate action for the loss of the smartphone, but please note that the action to be taken differs depending on whether it is provided by the company or personal belongings. With the spread of mobile work, there should be many business people who carry two or more smartphones with company supply and personal belongings. Even companies that provided feature phones in the past are replacing them with smartphones. If you lose it, first calmly figure out which of the multiple smartphones you lost.

What to do if you lose your company's smartphone

Although it is assumed that it is not personalized, in the case of company supply, the user's own personal information should not be included. Instead, you must be aware that your company's sensitive information may be stored or gained access to it. If you lose your company-supplied smartphone, the first thing to do is to promptly report it to the company in accordance with the regulations. The more you procrastinate, the more likely it is that things will get worse.

In many cases, company smartphones have introduced MDM (Mobile Device Management). Via MDM, you can disable your lost smartphone by using functions such as remote lock that prevents you from using your smartphone even from a remote location and remote wipe that erases smartphone data. It is better to leave the handling of lost smartphones provided by the company to the company. On the contrary, companies that supply terminals without taking measures against loss such as MDM should immediately consider measures.

What to do if you lose your personal smartphone

If the lost smartphone is a personal item, it is up to you to deal with it. First of all, I want to respond calmly without falling into a panic. If you actually lose it, please refer to the following procedure.

I want to take measures to minimize the damage in case I lose my smartphone. The easiest and most effective way is to strengthen your password. For passwords that are required to be entered when authentication is not performed using fingerprint authentication or face authentication, it is better to avoid character strings that are easy to guess. In addition, I want to make it a habit to back up internal data diligently. If you back up about once a month, the difference in data lost when lost will be reduced.

If it is an Android device, it is also necessary to set the data encryption settings. The iPhone is encrypted by default, but for Android devices, the user must set the encryption himself. And don't forget the "find your smartphone" feature. It's a good idea to enable this feature and, if possible, test it in advance to see if you can actually find it.

What should I do if I actually lose my smartphone after taking precautionary measures? First, let's try to find out the position with the "Search for smartphone" function. With the "Find My iPhone" function for Android and the "Find My iPhone" function for iPhone, you can find the location of your lost smartphone.

At the same time, let alone call the lost smartphone, if the place you think you lost is a store or station, contact the store or facility that you remember with your own action lead by telephone etc. Let's take it. If it is not found at this stage, measures must be taken to minimize the damage.

If you can't find the lost smartphone even if you look for it, consider the possibility that it has fallen into the hands of a malicious third party, and take measures to invalidate the smartphone as much as possible. First of all, please contact the carrier and take the procedure to stop the line immediately. Depending on the carrier, services such as remote lock of terminals and data erasure may be provided. I always assume the worst and want to take the initiative.

After that, take the procedure to stop the service of the individual application. The first thing to stop is the Osaifu-Keitai function, which leads to direct financial damage. The Osaifu-Keitai function can be used even when the power is turned off, so be sure to stop the service. Then, stop using services that may leak personal information. Change all passwords for SNS such as email, Line, Facebook, and Twitter. These SNS services can be canceled from the login of a specific terminal by logging in from another terminal such as a personal computer or tablet. For reference, the correspondence method in the case of Facebook is as follows.

List "Login locations" with the "Settings"-> "General"-> "Security and login" function. From the list display, log off if there is a login you do not remember.

summary

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that a lost smartphone will be returned to you. It may also be related to the times when resale between individuals became easier. That is why I would like to recognize the importance of taking measures on a daily basis on the premise that they will not be returned to hand. And when it is lost, take immediate measures to minimize the damage.

By taking proactive measures, you should be able to stay calm even if you lose it. As with all security measures, panic is the source of actions that can lead to catastrophe. Whether your smartphone is company-supplied or personal, you should take thorough precautions on the premise that it can be lost. Certainly smartphones are a useful tool. But keep in mind that if you lose it, you can strip your fangs and endanger you or your company.