Lost or stolen phone? UAE-based cybersecurity experts share tips to protect your data

Dubai: Losing your phone or having it stolen while abroad, can be stressful, but try not to panic. It’s completely natural to feel overwhelmed. After all, smartphones hold sensitive data, personal memories, and access to much of your digital life.Even if you are unable to recover the device, cybersecurity experts in the UAE say there are key steps you can take to protect your information. From blocking your number to remotely wiping your data, acting quickly can help prevent your personal details from falling into the wrong hands..Block your number and report the loss to stop misuseYour first action should be to contact your telecom service provider and have your mobile number blocked. This step is crucial to prevent anyone from misusing your SIM card for calls, messages, or data.When reporting the loss, be ready to provide:Your personal detailsThe time and location where the phone was lost or stolenAny device specifications you can recallAfter verifying the details, the service provider will begin the process of blocking your device. According to the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), your provider will add your phone’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number to the national blacklist. Within 24 hours, your phone will be barred from connecting to any UAE mobile network. Additionally, if you have lost valuable personal items such as a smartphone, wallet, watch or passport, report the incident to the police immediately..How to protect your personal data remotelyWhether you use an iPhone or Android device, you can take action through your online account portal. If your device has been misplaced, you can activate ‘Lost Mode’ or even attempt to track it using locator tools like ‘Find My’ iPhone or Google ‘Find My Device’.In cases where the phone is confirmed stolen, data protection becomes even more urgent.“If your device is offline, and you know it’s been stolen, you can set it to wipe all the data when it comes back online. Some phones also allow you to trigger an alarm sound remotely, which may scare off the thief,” said Bernard Montel, Technical Director and Security Strategist at Tenable (EMEA), speaking to Gulf News..Backups and multi-factor authentication can save youSmartphones today hold more than just contacts – they are the repository for photos, memories, conversations, and sensitive data. Montel advises that users should back up their data regularly to avoid permanent loss.He also recommends setting up two-factor authentication (2FA) for additional protection against unauthorised access.“If you haven’t done it already, set up 2FA to secure your accounts. Choose a second device for authentication if possible, this way, you retain control even if someone tries to reset your password. Regular backups are essential,” Montel said..If you haven’t set up two-factor authentication then do it now to secure the device. In addition, it’s worth selecting a second device as an additional authentication method just in case. That means you retain control of the account, even if they try to change the device password.Bernard Montel, EMEA Technical Director and Security Strategist, Tenable.Data theft happens fast – time is crucialAccording to American mulitinational cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, attackers managed to extract data within a day of system compromise in nearly 45 per cent of cases recorded in 2024. This highlights how important it is to act quickly if your phone is lost or stolen..Essential steps to secure your device and accountsCybersecurity experts recommend the following key actions after a phone is lost or stolen:Lock your phone remotely: Use Apple’s Find My or Google’s Find My Device to block access.Change passwords: Update passwords for email, banking, and social media accounts.Enable multi-factor authentication: Add an extra layer of protection to keep hackers out.Use remote wipe tools: Erase sensitive or unencrypted data if you suspect your phone won’t be recovered.Contact your mobile carrier: Suspend your SIM card to prevent unauthorised charges or misuse..“Also, if you use mobile banking applications, it’s smart to immediately notify your bank to monitor for fraudulent transactions. For work-related applications such as Microsoft Outlook, it’s important to check the enterprise security settings to ensure no sensitive information has been compromised,” Haider Pasha, Chief Security Officer at Palo Alto Networks, EMEA and LATAM, said..To further reduce risks, ensure your phone is encrypted, operating system updated, and protected with trusted security apps. These tools can detect and block threats before they cause harm.Avoid connecting to unknown Wi-Fi networks. If you must, use a VPN to encrypt your connection. Your device settings should prompt you before connecting to any new network. “If you’re on public Wi-Fi, avoid checking sensitive information like bank accounts or emails. If necessary, use mobile data instead,” added Pasha..It’s always advisable to use strong, unique passwords for each account and enable MFA whenever possible. You should ensure that your phone’s data is encrypted for the extra layer of protection. In the event of theft, you must immediately use remote lock and wipe features to lock the phone and erase sensitive data. Haider Pasha, Chief Security Officer at Palo Alto Networks, EMEA and LATAM.Use password vaults and biometric locks for extra protectionMost smartphones today allow you to remotely lock or wipe your data. For iPhones, you can do this via Find My iPhone through iCloud. Android users can use Find My Device to locate, lock or erase the phone.Karthik Anandarao, Chief Technical Evangelist at ManageEngine, recommends regular password updates for accounts linked to your phone, especially for email, banking and social media.“Use different passwords for different apps. A password vault app can help you manage them efficiently and even remind you to update them,” he said. Apple and Google both offer built-in password managers, making it easier to store and generate strong passwords..Set reminders to keep changing passwords for accounts linked to your phone, particularly for banking apps, email, and social media. Another best practice is to ensure that you keep different passwords for your accounts linked to different apps. Using a powerful vault app can help you to store passwords and also set reminders to change these passwords.Karthik Anandarao, Chief Technical Evangelist, ManageEngine. What to do if you didn't set up tracking or security featuresLosing your phone is stressful, especially if you hadn’t activated any tracking or security features. But even without those precautions, there are still effective steps you can take to limit potential damage.“Contact your mobile carrier right away to suspend your number and prevent any misuse of calls, texts, or data,” said Ezzeldin Hussein, Regional Senior Director, Solution Engineering, META at SentinelOne.It's also crucial to immediately change the passwords for any critical accounts you were signed into on your device, including email, banking, and social media platforms..Log out of active sessions and alert your bankUse another device to log into major platforms, such as Google, Apple and Facebook and sign out of all active sessions through the account settings. This helps ensure that anyone with access to your phone cannot continue using those services.Notify your bank and credit card providers so they can monitor for unusual or suspicious transactions. If your lost phone had access to work-related data or apps, it’s important to inform your employer as well.“While you may not be able to track the phone, you can still report the device’s IMEI number to your carrier or the police. This can help blacklist the phone and prevent it from being used by someone else,” Hussein added.He also emphasised that while losing a device without protection can be a tough experience, it offers an opportunity to build better digital habits..Use another device to sign out of all active sessions via the account settings of major platforms like Google, Apple, and Facebook. Notify your bank and credit card providers to monitor for suspicious activity. Report the loss to your employer if the device had work-related access. While you can’t track the phone, you can report the IMEI number to your carrier or the police to help blacklist it.Ezzeldin Hussein, Regional Senior Director, Solution Engineering, META, SentinelOne.Build stronger digital habits for the futureIf this experience has caught you off guard, consider it a wake-up call to adopt safer practices moving forward. Begin by ensuring your device is encrypted and protected by a strong screen lock. Enable cloud backups so you won’t lose your valuable data if your phone is misplaced or stolen.“Always back up important data to your cloud, depending on your phone model and OS. Keep your phone screen locked and enable multi-layered security using biometrics and passkeys,” said Anandarao..Keep your device clean, updated and secureRegular maintenance and good digital hygiene can go a long way in protecting your phone from future threats. This includes:Regularly backing up your dataUpdating your device softwareRemoving unused apps, especially shopping or gaming apps that might still have access to your data“Consider using a mobile security solution that provides real-time, on-device protection against phishing, malware, and unauthorised access—even when the phone is offline,” Hussein suggested.He added, “The best time to prepare for loss or theft is before it happens. A few proactive steps today can save you from a major crisis tomorrow.”