The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued important guidelines urging citizens to protect their personal and sensitive information before selling, giving away, or handing over their mobile phones for repair.
PTA officials noted that smartphones contain a wide range of personal information, including photographs, contacts, messages, documents, passwords, and access to social media accounts. As a result, even minor negligence can expose users to serious risks of data theft and privacy breaches.
The PTA has advised users to take the following precautionary measures before handing over their devices:
Ensure the device is fully encrypted before performing a factory reset. Users should verify that all data stored on the phone is properly encrypted.
Perform a factory reset after encryption. Modern software may have the capability to recover data following a standard reset, making a complete factory reset an essential security measure.
After the first factory reset, transfer some ordinary or non-sensitive photos and videos back to the phone and perform another factory reset. This additional step can significantly reduce the possibility of recovering previously stored personal data.
Before deleting files, back up important photographs, contacts, documents, and other data to a secure location, such as cloud storage or an external hard drive.
Remove the SIM card and external memory card before handing the phone over to anyone, whether for sale, transfer, or repair.
The PTA said that following these simple precautions can help users protect their valuable personal information from data theft and privacy violations.
