A lost, stolen, or compromised smartphone may expose far more than personal photos and messages. In Indonesia, 57% of respondents said they store personal documents, including identity cards, passports, insurance documents, and travel tickets, on their phones.
The potential impact grows when those files are kept alongside work email, login credentials, notes, and shopping information. A single device can now hold access to several important parts of a person’s digital life.
Security Measures Need to Start Before a Device Is Lost
Kaspersky advises users not to treat a smartphone as the only storage location for important documents. Sensitive files and identity documents can be placed in encrypted storage, while account credentials can be managed through a password manager.
Users are also advised to install mobile cybersecurity protection that can identify malicious applications and block phishing links in real time. Device tracking, automatic data backups, and instant screen locking can help reduce exposure when a phone is lost or stolen.
Physical smartphone security remains important, particularly in public places. The value of the information stored on a phone means its protection should be treated as seriously as that of a computer.
Work Data and Login Credentials Are Also Commonly Stored
Kaspersky survey data reported by Suara.com show that personal documents are not the only sensitive items held on Indonesian smartphones. The same proportion of respondents, 57%, said they keep work email on their devices.
| Data Stored on Smartphones | Indonesian Respondents |
|---|---|
| Personal documents, including ID cards and passports | 57% |
| Work email | 57% |
| Passwords and login credentials | 47% |
| Notes and reminders | 45% |
| Shopping information and delivery addresses | 44% |
The storage of passwords and login credentials is particularly significant because such data may unlock multiple accounts. Shopping histories and delivery addresses can also widen the consequences if a device falls into the wrong hands.
Smartphones are the main internet-access device for 77% of respondents in Indonesia. That figure is above the Asia-Pacific average of 72%, reflecting how central mobile devices have become to online activity in the country.
A Wider Regional Pattern
Across Asia-Pacific, 65% of respondents store personal photos and videos on their smartphones, while 57% store contacts. Half retain message histories, and 49% keep personal documents on their devices.
The survey also found that 38% of Asia-Pacific respondents store banking information on their phones. Another 27% have kept histories of conversations with AI services as the use of AI-based digital tools expands.
Anton Kivva, a cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky, said the changing role of smartphones requires stronger security awareness. “Now our smartphones serve as complete assistants that touch every aspect of our lives,” he said in an official statement.
He said the data entrusted to smartphones now extends far beyond photographs, phone numbers, and text messages. “As a result, the central question is no longer ‘what are we storing,’ but ‘how are we protecting it,’ making security as integral to the device as the data it carries,” Kivva said.
Adrian Hia, Managing Director of Kaspersky Asia Pacific, said smartphones have become the centre of modern digital life. He said mobile cybersecurity is no longer only about protecting a phone, but also the digital life people carry in their pockets every day.