Stolen phones: how police and the wireless industry are protecting a popular target – The Verge

Android Lollipop has a ‘kill switch’ that can make stolen phones useless

2014-10-15T14:47:46-04:00

California law requires that all smartphones made beginning next July include a "kill switch" that allows them to be disabled when stolen, and Google has just built one into Android. Recode reports that Android Lollipop includes a feature called "Factory Reset Protection," which can make a phone require that a password is entered before it's reset. When combined with the ability to remotely lock your phone, which Google introduced last year, it appears that Android devices now have a full "kill switch" that can make a phone useless when stolen and then bring it back to life should it be recovered.

"We applaud Google for including a 'kill swi …

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California’s smartphone kill switch bill has been signed into law

2014-08-25T17:46:49-04:00

A bill that requires all smartphones manufactured after July 1st, 2015 to include anti-theft measures if sold in the state of California was signed into law today. California governor Jerry Brown signed the bill, which was introduced back in February, and finally cleared the State assembly two weeks ago. Its aim is to make phones a less attractive target for thieves by requiring built-in tools that let consumers remotely lock, wipe, and disable the devices.

The bill, SB 962, was created by California state Senator Mark Leno along with San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, who's been a staunch advocate of anti-theft measures for pho …

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First smartphone ‘kill switch’ law signed in Minnesota

2014-05-14T22:18:51-04:00

On July 1st, 2015, it will be illegal to sell a smartphone in Minnesota without antitheft software preinstalled. That's because Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton just signed the first so-called "kill switch" bill into law. The idea is that if smartphone owners can always remotely disable and wipe their phones after they're stolen, it will deter criminals from stealing them at all. It's a feature that police departments across the country have requested, due to how popular it has become for thieves to snatch the small, high-value devices. Nationally, an estimated one in three robberies involves smartphones, according to the FCC.

The letter of th …

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Find My iPhone is spawning a new breed of vigilantes

2014-05-04T18:40:02-04:00

Remember when your parents told you that your life is worth more than whatever a thief wants to take from you? It seems some phone owners, tempted by GPS-tracking apps like Find My iPhone, are ignoring that advice and tracking down criminals themselves in hopes of getting their smartphones back. The New York Times has followed up with a few iPhone vigilantes, and as you might expect, not all cellphone recovery missions turn out so well. But there are also some incredible stories, including a man who posed as a woman on OKCupid to lure his thief out of hiding.

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California bill to require a ‘kill switch’ on phones fails in state senate

2014-04-24T22:19:17-04:00

A California bill that would require anti-theft measures to be included in smartphones, failed to pass today after a vote fell two Senate members short of its minimum. Senate bill 962 - which was introduced in February by Senator Mark Leno, a San Francisco Democrat - asked for any "advanced mobile communications device," sold in the state next year to have hardware or software features to let owners render the devices useless when stolen. The "kill switch" bill needed 21 votes to pass, but received just 19, with 17 nay votes, and one senator who did not vote earlier today, reports CNET.

Remote wipe would be a standard feature

The vote comes …

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Apple, Google, Microsoft and others sign anti-phone-theft pledge

2014-04-15T19:09:35-04:00

A new pledge signed by nearly every major player in the phone industry is promising that after July of 2015, it will be a lot harder to steal a smartphone, according to a statement from the CTIA. After that date, the companies pledge that every user will be able to remotely brick and wipe their phones in the event of a theft, features currently offered by Find my iPhone and the Android Device Manager. Apple, Google, HTC, Huawei, Motorola, Microsoft, Nokia and Samsung have already signed on, along with the five major US cell carriers.

Making those features standard has become a common request from law enforcement, which has dealt with a surg …

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Stolen smartphone database is complete, says CTIA

2013-11-27T22:57:08-05:00

new york cop-police

AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless launched a database for stolen smartphones last year, and today the wireless industry says that database system is complete. CTIA president and CEO Steve Largent announced that the database now allows carriers to block activation of LTE smartphones as well as 3G devices, hopefully deterring their theft, and has been integrated with international databases so foreign carriers can assist the effort. "As more countries and more carriers around the world participate in the 3G and 4G/LTE databases, criminals will have fewer outlets since these stolen phones would be blacklisted and could not be reactiv …

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US carriers reportedly oppose Samsung building anti-theft ‘kill switch’ into smartphones

2013-11-19T15:16:25-05:00

Samsung Galaxy Gear (verge 1020)

Major US wireless carriers have rejected the idea of a "kill switch" security measure being added to Samsung's popular Android phones, according to The New York Times. San Francisco district attorney George Gascón has been negotiating with Samsung to add tighter anti-theft features to its products, but mobile providers and the CTIA have reportedly come out in opposition to the plan. After reviewing emails between a developer and Samsung, Gascón is convinced that's because the companies fear losing reliable profits that come from selling cellular insurance plans to customers. These protection plans often cover lost or stolen items, but they a …

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Google adds remote lock and password reset features to Android Device Manager

2013-09-24T09:05:30-04:00

Android Device Manager

Android users can now remotely lock down a misplaced or stolen device from the web. Google has rolled this critical feature into Android Device Manager, which launched last month with location tracking and remote wipe functionality. Now the web tool lets you lock any Android smartphone running version 2.2 of the operating system and above. To do so, you'll simply need to set a new password to be entered once the device is recovered. This can be different from your regular lock screen PIN, so even if that password is compromised, you can override it with a new one. Google is actively discouraging users from re-using their main Google credenti …

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NYPD cops are telling people to upgrade to iOS 7 to fight crime

2013-09-22T18:38:02-04:00

NYPD (STOCK)

The New York Police Department is a big fan of iOS 7. According to several reports on Twitter, the department has officers out on the street distributing fliers encouraging iPhone owners to update to iOS 7, which has new security features that might just cut down on theft. Earlier this year, New York's attorney general called on Apple and other smartphone manufacturers to step up the tools they provide to prevent theft and facilitate device recovery. With Apple's latest update, it's made seemingly large steps in doing that.

Four uniformed NYPD officers were at my subway stop tonight asking me to upgrade to iOS 7. Not a joke! pic.twitter.com …

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