If your computer or other device is stolen

If your laptop or desktop computer, smartphone, or other device is stolen:

  • Contact the police department immediately to report the crime. If it was stolen on an Indiana University campus, call your campus police department.
  • Once you receive a case number, contact the University Information Policy Office (UIPO) at it-incident@iu.edu or 812-855-UIPO (8476), and provide them:
    • Your IU username and contact information
    • The police department and case number
    • Location where you believe the device was stolen
    • Approximate time and date of the theft
    • Last location and approximate time you used the device on the IU network
    • A description of the device, including its physical (MAC) address for wired and wireless interfaces, as well as any identifying marks (stickers, scratches, etc.), if possible.

    If your device contains sensitive data or restricted institutional data, you must immediately notify the UIPO; see Reporting Suspected Sensitive Data Exposures.

Beyond contacting the authorities, you have other options that may help in securing your device or data. Contact your campus Support Center for guidance on these options:

  • Locate your device: If your missing device is GPS-enabled, some apps and services (for example, Apple Find My or Android Device Manager) may be able to locate it. These services are not foolproof, but may help the authorities recover your property.
  • Change your passphrase: To prevent access to your IU email and other personal data, change your IU passphrase as soon as possible. This is particularly important if you use the device to authenticate to Two-Step Login (Duo).
  • Wipe your device remotely: You might be able to wipe your device remotely if you have registered with the manufacturer's cloud services, or use IU's Exchange service. Consult support for your device, or see Manage your Exchange ActiveSync device in Outlook on the web.
    Note:
    Remote wiping via IU's Exchange service requires that the service can communicate with your device. Therefore, do not change your IU passphrase until the remote wipe is complete. For assistance, contact your campus Support Center.

For more, see Tips for staying safe online and Protect data on your mobile device.

This is document avbx in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2023-05-16 11:48:19.