Public safety alert from Samsung for Galaxy phones

cypac1
Jun 5
4 min read

Samsung issued a public safety alert this week in an awareness campaign to better protect its users, particularly in the event of a phone theft. There is an enormous gap in awareness about Android's security features and most people have them turned off.

If you or someone you know has a Samsung Galaxy phone, make sure your phone is updated and turn on these new safety features ASAP:

Theft Detection Lock - uses on-device machine learning to detect if your phone has been snatched and instantly locks the screen to block the criminal from being able to use it
Offline Device Lock - locks the device if it's disconnected from the network for an extended period of time (eg. stolen, turned off, then sold on the black market)
Remote Lock - lets you lock your phone remotely using your phone number and a quick verification step

Samsung has also added Galaxy-exclusive features like Identity Check which prompts for biometric authentication if sensitive changes are made to the device's settings in unfamiliar locations, and Security Delay that imposes a 1 hour delay if someone tries to reset biometric data, giving you time to locate and secure your phone.

Before you turn on theft protection features on your Android device

Android devices have always offered features like SIM lock and Lockdown mode to stop suspicious activity. The new anti-theft features take things a step further in the right direction. Before you enable these features, check what version your phone runs. While most are available for Android 10, you might need Android 15 to access all the features.

Step 1: Enable Theft Detection Lock

Theft Detection Lock uses your device’s built-in motion sensors, AI, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi to detect if someone takes off with your device and automatically locks the screen. This prevents others from accessing any personal data on your device. Here’s how to enable this setting on your Android device:

Navigate to the Settings app on your phone.
Tap Google.
Select All services.

Scroll down and tap Theft protection.
Turn on the Theft Detection Lock toggle.
Select Turn on again when the confirmation box pops up.

Your daily activities might involve sudden movements that resemble your phone getting stolen. To minimize interruptions, this feature only activates when the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity drops or becomes unstable.

Likewise, this feature auto-activates when multiple locks occur within a short period. However, you can unlock your device manually if the lock activates during the day when you’re running or have a period of unstable connectivity.

Step 2: Enable Offline Device Lock

If a thief steals your device, they will disable Wi-Fi and mobile data and remove the SIM card to prevent tracking. When this happens, you can’t use Find My Device to locate your phone, making it harder to track your device. In such instances, Offline Device Lock can protect your data by locking your device’s screen. Here’s how to enable this feature on your device:

Navigate to the Settings app on your phone.
Tap Google.
Select All services.
Scroll down and tap Theft protection. (see pictures above for reference)
Turn on the Offline Device Lock toggle.
Select Turn on again when the confirmation box pops up.

The screen lock only works twice in 24 hours. So, avoid testing it multiple times if you want it to remain functional when you need it to work.

Step 3: Enable Remote Lock

Turning on this feature on your device allows you to lock your device remotely by entering a verified phone number. This is helpful when you’re not keen on enabling the other anti-theft features, especially since they can activate automatically.

If your device is offline when you use Remote Lock, the screen locks as soon as it reconnects to the internet. It’s best to send a lock request using this tool as soon as you realize your phone is missing. Here’s how to set it up:

Navigate to the Settings app on your phone.
Tap Google.
Select All services.
Scroll down and tap Theft protection.
Select Remote Lock.
Turn on the Use Remote Lock toggle.

If Remote Lock activates, you can unlock your device locally by entering your password, PIN, or biometrics. Also, like Offline Device Lock, this feature only works twice in 24 hours.

Note: To use Remote Lock, you need a screen lock, an active SIM card, and a device with a verified phone number. Also, ensure your device is online and Find My Device is turned on.

Your device’s security is your responsibility. In addition to enabling these theft protection features, use a strong PIN or password and biometric authentication. Additional steps like these can secure your device and make it harder for unauthorized users to access your data.

Steps 1-3 should only take you a couple of minutes and can save you a world of hurt if your phone is lost or stolen.

Stay safe out there.

-A

PS. The PBS Insights interview is now available! Man, that show was hot - a lot of people called in with questions. We really tried to get to as many as possible.

I was there with other Cybersecurity experts and network defenders to talk about the latest threats facing our community and what to do about them. Click here to watch.

New - the Positivity Box

We talked about cryptocurrency scams during last week's PBS episode. The Department of Justice recently announced that they had successfully seized more than $868,247 in proceeds from an alleged cryptocurrency confidence scheme HERE IN HAWAII.

We get asked quite often if these scammers are in the US and if they are, if any are local. Well, it's a definite yes and you can read all about it on the DOJ's website.

Kudos to the team at the FBI Honolulu Field Office who are investigating the case. Great job!