Level 1 · 1D Your phone and your computer · Lesson 2 of 2
Backups, ransomware and what to do if you lose your phone
Any device can be lost, broken, stolen or locked by an attack. The final defense isn't a piece of technology: it's having a copy of what matters.
The 3-2-1 rule
Keep three copies of what matters, on two different types of storage (for example, your computer and an external drive or the cloud), and one of them away from your home, for example in the cloud or on a drive kept somewhere else. That way a theft, a fire or a virus can't take everything.
Ransomware
It's a program that encrypts (locks) your files and demands a ransom to give them back. With a recent backup you get your files back without paying (although, if your data was stolen, a backup can't stop them from publishing it). Careful: if the backup is always connected to the computer, the ransomware encrypts it too. It's best to keep one backup disconnected, or on a service that keeps older versions.
If you lose your phone
Lock it or locate it from another device using your phone's «find my device» service, and erase it remotely if needed. Change the passwords for your email and your main accounts, call your mobile carrier to block your line and the phone, and alert your bank.
Going deeper
Encrypting your disk
If your computer gets stolen, the thief can take out the disk and read it on another machine. Disk encryption prevents that: BitLocker on Windows, FileVault on Mac, and the built-in encryption on modern phones. Without the key, what's inside is just noise.
Review questions
What does the 3-2-1 rule say?
Answer: Three copies, on two different types of storage (for example, your computer and an external drive or the cloud), and one away from home. That way no single accident, like a theft or a fire, leaves you with nothing.
Ransomware encrypted your files. What saves you without paying?
Answer: A recent backup that wasn't connected. With a good backup, you wipe everything and restore. Paying doesn't guarantee you'll get anything back.
You lost your phone. What do you do first?
Answer: Lock it or locate it remotely and change your main passwords. The urgent thing is that nobody gets into your accounts while you don't have it.