Published at: 08 October 2024, 16:58 (UTC+02:00)
Last updated: 09 October 2024, 01:00 (UTC+02:00)

It should be noted that I am not a legal expert. The following seems to be the current new situation:

• The European Union Court of Justice ruled that police are now allowed to enter your phone for non-severe crimes
• Individual EU countries have to implement this in their own legal codex. E.g.: this is just a statement that it is not against EU rules to do so

See the official document (PDF, curia.europa.eu) and a Dutch/Belgian news article on the court decision (NL, tweakers.net).

Forced opening

• In Belgium, cops are allowed to force you to give your code. Good luck! See Belgian Judge rules that suspects may be forced to give up their smartphone code (NL, tweakers.net)
• In the Netherlands, cops are allowed to forcibly open your phone using biometrics. See high counsel: police may unlock phone forcibly with fingerprint (NL, tweakers.net)

What now?

Remote wiping

• iOS: use Find Devices - Erase a device in Find Devices on iCloud.com (support.apple.com)
• Android: enable Find My Device - Find, secure, or erase a device remotely (support.google.com)
• Non-Google Android: install FindMyDevice - FindMyDevice app (f-froid) & FindMyDevice repo (gitlab.com)

Make sure to backup your authenticator apps & any data you want to keep before doing this

Safe biometric locking

So, as long as the Netherlands doesn't implement rulings similar Belgium's; how can you protect yourself?

• iOS: Hold the power/side button and either volume button for 2 seconds. Next time you try to unlock your phone, it will ask for your PIN code before allowing biometric unlock. This works when the phone is locked and unlocked
• Google Pixel: Hold the power & volume up button until a menu appears. Select Lockdown from there. See 9to5google's Google Pixel lockdown article
• Many phones have their own implementation. Look up "disabling biometric unlock", "lockdown mode" or "hard lock" with your phone manufacturer & model.