What Is SIM Lock on Android and Can It Really Protect Your Data?

Losing a smartphone is bad enough. Losing control of the mobile number attached to it can be considerably worse. Your SIM is connected to calls, text messages and, in many cases, account recovery and authentication processes. Android therefore includes a security feature called SIM Lock , which is easy to overlook because it is separate from the phone's normal screen lock. SIM Lock requires a PIN before the SIM can be used after the phone is restarted or the SIM is inserted into another device. It does not encrypt the contents of your phone, but it can make it harder for someone who obtains your physical SIM to use your mobile number.