Your Samsung phone just got a big security upgrade for free (these models included)

2 days ago 11
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Every Color
Kerry Wan/ZDNET

If you're a Galaxy telephone user, Samsung warns that you request to activate immoderate caller features arsenic soon arsenic you can.

In a property merchandise earlier this week, Samsung explained that arsenic phone thefts proceed to emergence astir the world, it's captious for users to marque definite they alteration their phone's information measures – immoderate of which are caller to One UI 7.

Also: Phone theft is connected the emergence - 7 ways to support your instrumentality earlier it's excessively late

One of the areas getting an update is Theft Protection, which Samsung called "a multi-layered suite of features developed to safeguard idiosyncratic data." Existing and updated features successful this suite include:

  • Theft Detection Lock: This diagnostic uses instrumentality learning to observe motions associated with theft (like a abrupt snatch and accelerated acceleration), and instantly locks the surface to halt unauthorized access. Pixel devices introduced a akin diagnostic past fall.

  • Offline Device Lock: If your instrumentality is disconnected from the web for an extended time, the surface gets automatically locked.

  • Remote Lock: If your telephone has already been stolen, you tin fastener it remotely utilizing your telephone fig and a speedy verification step. You tin besides regain power of your relationship and research further betterment options.

These features physique connected the modular Android information protection, Samsung noted, but instrumentality information a measurement further by introducing further extortion for high-risk scenarios erstwhile your entree credentials person been compromised.

To crook connected these features, caput to your device's settings paper and find information and privacy, past "Lost Device Protection" and "Theft Protection."

Samsung besides recommended enabling caller anti-robbery features that were released successful One UI 7, including: 

  • Identity check: Samsung lets you specify trusted places (say, your location successful Google Maps) wherever your telephone stays unlocked. With the "Safe Places" feature, if you're extracurricular a trusted place, your telephone volition necessitate biometric authentication for immoderate delicate information changes. This helps support your instrumentality harmless adjacent if idiosyncratic has your PIN.

  • Security Delay: If idiosyncratic attempts to reset biometric data, your telephone puts a one-hour waiting play successful place. This gives users clip to fastener their stolen telephone from different instrumentality earlier unauthorized entree tin occur.

These features are besides nether the Security and Privacy Section of the settings menu, but nether "Lost Device Protection."

Also: 5 informing signs that your phone's been hacked - and however to combat back
Samsung said the updated theft features are becoming disposable present connected erstwhile flagship devices similar the Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold6, Z Flip6, Z Fold5, Z Flip 5, S23, and S22 series, with aboriginal updates coming to adjacent much Galaxy smartphones.

Features similar this are starting to go commonplace. Android rolled retired broader anti-theft measures past fall, added a fewer much successful May, and adjacent introduced immoderate enhanced protections just a fewer days ago. Apple introduced its own mentation for iPhones past January.

Get the morning's apical stories successful your inbox each time with our Tech Today newsletter.

Editorial standards
Read Entire Article