This article gives guidance on reporting a lost or stolen device. It contains instructions about:

• how to report your lost or stolen device to iSolutions,
• disable your laptop,
• protect your account,
• and smart actions to consider as soon as possible.

In the unlikely event you have lost your device, or someone has stolen it, fill out the form “Lost or stolen device” and submit it as soon as possible.

The sooner iSolutions receive your request, the sooner we can start ensuring the safety of your data and the protection of your identity.

Any lost or stolen device used by criminals can generate personal and university data breaches.

Report your lost or stolen device

You can report your lost or stolen device using the form “Lost or stolen device”.

The ticket will be sent to iSolutions Incident Response and Cyber Security teams.

If you need to report more than one device, please submit one ticket for any device.

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What you need to do as soon as possible

In the unlucky case you lose your devices, or someone steals them, the sections below show a list of actions you can do to avoid worse scenarios.

If you do not have an alternative device to complete the following steps, please:

• Try to secure your account from another trusted device
• Get in-person help from one of our technicians at visit one of our Tech Hubs

Please note that ServiceLine does not operate out of hours.

Find, lock, or erase your device

Android handsets

If you have previously linked your device to a Google Account, please follow the instructions listed in the Google support article “Find, lock, or erase a lost Android device”.

With Android handsets, you can use Find My Mobile or Find My Device to remotely access your phone. You will need to:

1. Sign into your Samsung or Google account via a web browser or another device,and
2. have remote controls already enabled on your missing device.

Instructions work for Android phones, Android tablets, and Wear OS watches.

 

Windows laptops

Windows you can find and lock your devices by reading the Microsoft Support article “Find and lock a lost Windows device”.

If you need to change or reset your Windows password, please read the Microsoft Support article “Change or reset your Windows password”.

 

Disable a university-owned Windows laptop

If you were using a Windows laptop owned by the University, you can disable it – that will block anyone else to access your data.

To do that, please:

1. Go to My Account
2. Go to the “Password” section and select the button “Change password”
3. Select Cancel
4. Select the link “Disable device”

 

Apple iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, or Beats

You can locate any Apple device from iCloud.com following the Apple support article “Use Find Devices on iCloud.com”.

Using iCloud.com you can:

• Sign in to Find Devices
• Locate a device
• Play a sound on a device
• Use Lost Mode
• Erase a device
• Remove a device

Apple iPhone and iPad users can find support on the Apple support page “If your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch is lost or stolen”.

Macbook users can find support on the Apple support page “If your Mac has been lost or stolen”.

 

Disable a university-owned Apple Macbook

1. Log in to your iCloud account from another device
2. Activate the Find My feature 
   or
3. Report ServiceLine the missing device. Our technicians will activate the procedure for you.

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Actions related to your university email account

Sign out everywhere from your university account

You can sign out everywhere from your university account. To do that, please:

1. Go to My Account
2. Select the button “Security info”
3. Select the link “Sign out from everywhere” 

 

Check your sign-in methods

Be sure there are no suspicious changes to your default and second method of authentication.

To do that, please:

1. Go to My Account
2. Go to the section “Security info” and select the link “Update info”
3. Review and control the sign-in list 

Desktop interface:

  
Mobile interface:

 

Change your university password from Subscribe

You can change your university password from Subscribe. If you do not remember your university password and need help, please call ServiceLine.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Go to Subscribe
2. Select the button “Sign in to manage your existing account” from the section “Existing staff, students and alumni”
3. Sign in with your university username and password.
4. From the section “Password & Security”, select the link “Change your password” 
5. Follow the instructions and submit

 

Check your security questions

Every time your security questions have been changed, you will receive an email notification from Serviceline:

• the sender’s email is serviceline@soton.ac.uk
  and
• the subject of the email is “Your university computing security questions have been changed”.

Please contact ServiceLine if you notice something suspicious.

How to review or update your security questions:

1. Go to Subscribe
2. Select the button “Sign in to manage your existing account” from the section “Existing staff, students and alumni”
3. Sign in with your university username and password.
4. From the section “Password & Security”, select the link “Change security questions and answers”
5. Check the box “Show current questions and answers” to preview the current questions and answers
   
   If you want to update your answers, you can now:
6. Enter your current password in the specific field
7. Type a new Question 1 and or Question 2
8. Enter your new answer(s)
9. Select the button “Submit”

 

Check your sign-ins and sign-in locations

You can see the list of your account’s sign-in following the steps below:

1. Go to My Account
2. Select the button “My sign-ins”
3. The list of your recent activities related to your university account will appear on a new screen:

  
Please note: that location is not always 100% accurate and can position you in slightly different places. That said, sign-in locations give you a general idea of where the login came from. 

Check any app or other accounts associated with your university account

You might have associated your university account with apps different from Microsoft Authenticator or other accounts.

Monitor whether there is anything suspicious and act as soon as possible.

 

Check your email and OneDrive

Manage your email and OneDrive carefully. Spot if there’s anything suspicious or unfamiliar within:

• Forwarded emails
• The settings of your email rules
• Suspicious files appearing in OneDrive
• Suspicious movement of files from.

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Other useful actions you should do

Report a stolen device to the police

Report the theft to the police straight away. You can call the non-emergency number 101 or visit a local police station in person.

If possible, give them the device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number or serial number. They can use it to register your device on their stolen phone database. Major retailers will be alerted to its stolen status if someone tries to sell it to them.

The police should give you a Crime Reference Number, which will be requested to fill out the university form “Lost or stolen device”.
Further information: on the web page Contact the police - GOV.UK. 

How to find your device’s IMEI or serial number

Windows and Android devices:

• If you can’t find the serial number on the PC itself, look online for instructions specific to your model. The manufacturer’s website should tell you exactly where to look.
• If you registered your PC with the manufacturer or received warranty service, the serial number should be included in one or more of the following documents:
  • the registration documentation,
  • warranty service receipt,
  • email confirmation for the service.
• If you still have the original product box, it usually has the serial number printed on it — often on the same sticker with the bar code.

Apple devices:

• Find the serial number or IMEI on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Contact your bank

Contact your bank or building society straight away, calling their customer service for reporting theft / loss issues or visiting a branch in person. That should prevent anyone to spend your money or have access to your account. The bank can also disable Apple Pay and equivalents if set up on that device.

Social media

We recommend changing the passwords of your social media as soon as possible to avoid potential compromise of these accounts. 

Alert your friends and family

If necessary, your friends and family can be made aware. Keeping them informed can protect them from receiving any request for money or actions from people that are using your device.

Contact your wireless network provider

Report your missing device to your wireless network provider and ask to disable your account. This should prevent calls, texts and data use from people that are using your device.

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Compromised accounts

What will Cyber Security team do if they discover your account has been compromised?

In the unlikely event the Cyber Security Team discover that your account has been compromised as a result of the loss or theft of a device, iSolutions can suspend the access to your account and / or reset your password. You will receive a notification from ServiceLine – however:

• you might not be able to access it 
  and
• an account status message will notify you if you try to login.

If you have restricted access to your university account, you need to call ServiceLine to regain access to your account.

We will ask you to confirm your identity by coming to our Tech Hubs or calling us. Our technicians will generate a temporary password and will ask you for your security answers.

After those steps, you will be able to change your password and manage your account as before.

What to do if you suspect your account has been compromised

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) protects your account from the risk of being compromised. Though, if you suspect your account has been compromised, you need to call ServiceLine or visit our Tech Hubs and request an enforced password change.

Our technicians will generate a temporary password and will ask you for your security answers.

After those steps, you will be able to change your password and manage your account as before.

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Data protection

University-owned and managed Windows laptops have Full Disk Encryption (often abbreviated to FDE) enabled by default, using the Microsoft Windows BitLocker disk encryption solution.

The Apple equivalent FDE solution, FileVault for MacOS, will need to be manually set up by the user.

Here is how to view the settings and setup both solutions for your personal device:

• Windows: Turn on device encryption on Windows
  
  • Notes about Windows Bitlocker:
    • Windows BitLocker is not available on Windows 10 or 11 Home Edition.
    • On Windows 11 Home, you can use "device encryption," which is a limited version of BitLocker. It works identically to the full version but with limited management settings and capabilities.
• Apple: Encrypt Mac data with FileVault
  • Please note: unless you are using an iMac Pro or another Mac with an Apple T2 Security Chip, you need to turn FileVault on from the System Settings.

Please note: encrypting your data is a preventative preventative feature that you need to enable to help secure your data in the event of loss/theft.

Know more about Full Disk Encryption (FDE)

Full disk encryption is the process of encoding data or messages from “plaintext” (unencrypted) to “ciphertext” (encrypted). During this process, the information is converted into a non-human readable format, hiding the contents unless successfully decrypted.

As a result, the encoded data or message cannot be understood by any person other than its intended recipient. Only authorised parties can understand the information. 

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Requesting new equipment  

In case you need to request new equipment, please fill out the form that most suits you from the page "Equipment Requests".

Further information about the computer specifications and the “Hardware Provisioning Policy” can be found on the following pages:

• Computer purchasing (staff)
• University's Hardware Provisioning Policy

Please be aware that, as per the above policy, orders to replace lost or stolen equipment will be charged to your faculty or professional service so be sure to provide a cost code when ordering.

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Getting IT help

iSolutions is ready to help you if you need IT support. You can both:

• email or call our staff
• access in-person support at the Tech Hubs in the Hartley Library (on Highfield campus) or in the Sir James Matthews Building.

Find the opening times and all information on the web page “ServiceLine - The IT Service Desk”.

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Related content

Lost or stolen device (form)

Passwords

Cyber Security