When phones are stolen, many users haven't enabled anti-theft features, leaving them vulnerable to unauthorized hard resets. To stop this, Samsung could add a software-enforced recovery lock integrated into the OS update process, triggered whenever a reset is attempted. The phone would require either Samsung account credentials (mandatory at setup) or a unique 9-character unlock code tied to that account. This code could only be obtained via a secure Samsung web portal with multi-factor authentication or in person at an authorized service center with ID and proof of purchase—never over the phone to avoid social engineering. The recovery lock would be embedded in the OS partition and restored during system updates, making it persistent even after factory resets. If a reset fails or the device is turned on, it could send location data to the owner's account and display a "Lost or Stolen" message, whilst staying unusable until unlocked. This would make hard resets on stolen Android devices significantly harder through software updates alone, protecting both owners and legitimate second-hand sales.
