[Q] Encrypt phone - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Does the phone encryption (stock unrooted 4.2.1) slow down the phone at all? Does it decrypt the storage at startup or on-the-fly?
Is there any point in encrypting the device if the bootloader is locked as unlocking to install a third party recovery to try read the data would wipe it anyway? (I already use a PIN for the lock screen)
Just trying to figure out if it's worth bothering...

I think the point of an encrypted hard drive is if an attacker has physical access to it. Meaning, they pull it out of the device and then attempt to read it. Locked bootloader won't help here, encryption will.
I believe it decrypts on startup.

My last phone, when encrypted, did not slow down at all. That was on 4.0.4 but I don't see why JB on faster hardware would be any different.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Great, thanks for the replies.
(and thanks to crachel for moving this to the correct forum)

How safe is encrypting you phone? Are there any hazards to encrypting your phone?

donec said:
How safe is encrypting you phone? Are there any hazards to encrypting your phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got my N4 and was curious about the encryption feature. I found this article to be informative and decided against encryption after reading it. Perhaps you may find it useful.
http://www.howtogeek.com/141953/how-to-encrypt-your-android-phone-and-why-you-might-want-to/

shobuddy said:
I just got my N4 and was curious about the encryption feature. I found this article to be informative and decided against encryption after reading it. Perhaps you may find it useful.
http://www.howtogeek.com/141953/how-to-encrypt-your-android-phone-and-why-you-might-want-to/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was the kind of information I needed to decide against encrypting my whole phone.

Related

[Q] Unlock without wipe?

Has anyone figured out a way to unlock this device without having it do a factory reset?
What's the reason for the wipe anyways? I don't understand why this has to happen.
I guess it's impossible, but you can try Carbon Backup to backup your apps+data, it works without root
Sent from my Nexus 7 running Android 4.2.2
I actually have root and titanium backup but it's a pain to backup and restore. Would be nice if the device simply didn't rest itself when unlocked.
Maybe one day the app "Boot Unlocker for Nexus Devices" will support the Nexus 7
Sent from my SK17i running Android 4.1.2
Yeah, something like that is what I'm looking for.
I wonder what method the app uses to unlock other devices.
xxbeanxx said:
I actually have root and titanium backup but it's a pain to backup and restore. Would be nice if the device simply didn't rest itself when unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird question how did you root without unlocking bootloader? and why do you need to unlock the bootloader, if you're already rooted?
clockcycle said:
Weird question how did you root without unlocking bootloader? and why do you need to unlock the bootloader, if you're already rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I relocked after flashing su (for security reasons). I don't have a need to unlock again right now but wanted to know if it was possible just in case I wanted to flash a zip in the future.
xxbeanxx said:
I relocked after flashing su (for security reasons). I don't have a need to unlock again right now but wanted to know if it was possible just in case I wanted to flash a zip in the future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, makes sense. I did the same thing and couldn't find a way either, and just went at it the same way as initially, wiping.
I've heard that the rationale for forcing a memory wipe when unlocking the bootloader was to protect your data in case your device fell into the wrong hands. If someone steals it and can't get past your lockscreen, they won't be able to get to your device's memory via usb. They can try unlocking the bootloader, but that will wipe the device's memory clean. The thief will be able to use your device but the data is safe. If the bootloader is unlocked, the thief can plug in the phone or tablet, go mucking around in your files, and steal your identity as well as your device.
This is why using a device with an unlocked bootloader is not as safe as using one that is locked. It is also why a new security feature was added to 4.2.2 and adb, although I haven't plugged in my Nexus 7 to find out how it works.
getoffmylawn said:
I've heard that the rationale for forcing a memory wipe when unlocking the bootloader was to protect your data in case your device fell into the wrong hands. If someone steals it and can't get past your lockscreen, they won't be able to get to your device's memory via usb. They can try unlocking the bootloader, but that will wipe the device's memory clean. The thief will be able to use your device but the data is safe. If the bootloader is unlocked, the thief can plug in the phone or tablet, go mucking around in your files, and steal your identity as well as your device.
This is why using a device with an unlocked bootloader is not as safe as using one that is locked. It is also why a new security feature was added to 4.2.2 and adb, although I haven't plugged in my Nexus 7 to find out how it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats a good reason.
4.2.2 on my nexus 4, when I plugged it into the pc, a box poped up on the n4 asking perrmission showing the pc's key..
FWIW, I found this.. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2068207

[Q] Encryption enabled & safestrap?

Noob Question of the day
I am relatively new to smartphones 6months ago i had gotten my first Galaxy SIII(which i rooted and installed a custom rom in thanks to a very simple guide)
Now thanks to geohot i have been able to root my S5 i have been wanting to install safestrap for about a month or so but am terrified by the warning posted hashcode saying that if you have encryption enabled on your device you will get stuck in a boot loop. this worries me because i have tinkered with so many settings and i am not sure how i would be able to tell if i had encryption enabled nor have i been able to find a post addressing this.
What i need to know is how can i know if encryption is enabled or not?
(If this was an inappropriate place to post this question i apologize ahead of time and if/when corrected it will not happen again)
Just go to settings, security and check both encrypt device and encrypt external SD card. If neither of those are checked then you have no encryption
Sent from my SM-G900V using XDA Free mobile app
if thats all it is then why did hash code not just say to uncheck it? not arguing that that is not what it is im just curious or is it something so basic that everyone (besides newbs like me) already knows
imb1610 said:
if thats all it is then why did hash code not just say to uncheck it? not arguing that that is not what it is im just curious or is it something so basic that everyone (besides newbs like me) already knows
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, I'm not entirely sure, but... there may be some other encryption method possible... maybe through a 3rd party app? More than likely what I told you is all there is to it if you're a normal user. And I totally understand where you are coming from, if you have a pc also, just make sure you download odin3, the stock firmware and the pit file... these are used if you mess something up. There's also a thread here about returning to stock, I would read up on it too if you're planning on getting into safestrap and root more.
Hope this helps
yes it does thank you so much ^.^

File-Based Encryption (Direct Boot) & Root

Hello all! I turned on the Direct Boot File Based Encryption last night (I wanted to do a fresh install anyway)and this morning discovered a new TWRP version. In a moment of pure stupidity I flashed it and sideloaded SuperSU v2.76 which soft bricked my phone, leaving me pretty lonesome through my workday. My own fault for sure for not checking, but I noticed something odd.
Though TWRP installs fine and appears to work normally, upon closer inspection all the folders on the device were encrypted gibberish titles and were empty. So I'm guessing they're not playing nice. I've looked around a bit but haven't found any other info, does anyone know if there are plans to support this mode? Has anyone heard anything? Am I crazy?
Same thing happened to me.
Encryption like this will never work with custom recoveries. It is something you give up when you mod your device. It is not meant for rom flashers.
zelendel said:
Encryption like this will never work with custom recoveries. It is something you give up when you mod your device. It is not meant for rom flashers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there no way to root a device that is using FBE then?
Has anyone gotten any sort of answer when it comes to FBE and root? I enabled it also and I don't want to run the risk of bricking my N6P. Does this mean that if we enable this setting we will forever be stuck with stock android? If this is the case how is it that they plan to root the new Pixel phones which will come with this enabled by default?
Aggro_Monkey3000 said:
Has anyone gotten any sort of answer when it comes to FBE and root? I enabled it also and I don't want to run the risk of bricking my N6P. Does this mean that if we enable this setting we will forever be stuck with stock android? If this is the case how is it that they plan to root the new Pixel phones which will come with this enabled by default?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The whole point is that they don't want it to be rooted. Google sees root for what it is. A security hole.

So uhh... how do you encrypt this phone?

I tried going through all the settings and couldn't find anything about encrypting the phone. Does it do this automatically or something?
Yes, the Axon 7 is automaticly encrypted from what i could gather on the forum.
runderekrun said:
I tried going through all the settings and couldn't find anything about encrypting the phone. Does it do this automatically or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
djona12 said:
Yes, the Axon 7 is automaticly encrypted from what i could gather on the forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, is Automatically encrypted....
That's one of the reasons why a lot of users having issues when they want to go back to UN-ROOT state.
Ok thanks for clarifying guys.
For some reason I thought that encrypting your phone locked it out of TWRP (unless you had a code). It doesn't seem to do this so I guess encrypting is kinda useless as long as I have a custom recovery on my device?

Lockscreen bypass

I need to recover data from a samsung galaxy s7 edge, but I don't know the code for unlocking the screen. There's a way to bypass this?
1. How could You forget a 4 digit pin code? Seriously.
2. Is it rooted? Any custom rom on it? Encryption?
ProtoDeVNan0 said:
1. How could You forget a 4 digit pin code? Seriously.
2. Is it rooted? Any custom rom on it? Encryption?
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Click to collapse
It isn't mine, it was of a dead person and the family asks me to recover data but they don't know the pin.
It's fully original.
Then I'm not sure if it's possible.
If it didn't have encryption enabled (it's enabled by default by samsung) then You could flash TWRP and then flash a zip file which removes certain files in Data partition and well, unlocks the device (I've done it before when I broke my lock screen buttons). But with Encryption being enabled TWRP won't be able to read Data partition and yeah. I'm not sure if You can even access internal storage through TWRP.
Maybe try all possible combinations? Or the most popular ones.
Try this:
Flash TWRP(a detailed instruction is on XDA)
Tap on advanced and then file manager.
You should be able to see internal storage if it's not encrypted, and then just copy all files that You want to sd card or just mount usb storage.
But if the encryption covers Data and internal storage then I don't think You can do anything.
Like I said, in the worst case try using most popular code combinations and maybe one will work. But try that before flashing TWRP, cause TWRP might soft brick the device.
No. Who knows what you're really after? I'm totally against questions like these and would urge people not to answer. If it's really your own device, you have to deal with the consequences of forgetting a 4 digit number.
Not possible with encryption, only way is brute forcing it and it might auto wipe after 15 attempts
Really??? Xda is the first place someone with this situation would ask for help? First post? I'm calling BS.
If - hah - you are legit, the "dead" person's phone is still under warranty, therefore the "family" can take the phone to the dealer/network provider and get help there.
sounds very suspicious

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