Help usb mounts without security swipe

[zeus1]

I updated my x10 to Android 2.3.3 and now when I plug in a USB cable to a computer, the Mount/Charge Phone prompt pops up without the screen unlock-swipe. Prior to the upgrade, I had to unlock the screen before I could mount the phone as a usb drive. The unlock is now not there. This means anyone can pick up my phone, plug it into a computer, mount the drive and access the phone. Not as secure as before!

I can't find any option to require an unlock before the phone can be mounted. Can anyone assist?

zeus1

 

[beau420]

I updated my x10 to Android 2.3.3 and now when I plug in a USB cable to a computer, the Mount/Charge Phone prompt pops up without the screen unlock-swipe. Prior to the upgrade, I had to unlock the screen before I could mount the phone as a usb drive. The unlock is now not there. This means anyone can pick up my phone, plug it into a computer, mount the drive and access the phone. Not as secure as before!

I can't find any option to require an unlock before the phone can be mounted. Can anyone assist?

zeus1

When I plug my x10, and my phone is already locked. It stays locked.

Now. If I unlock the phone and mount it....then, maybe it might stay unlocked (or at least until I hit the power button once to lock it)

Why not just plug in the phone and not mount it? If you don't mount it should definitely stay locked. And you don't need to mount to charge.

Not sure why you regularly want to mount the phone and walk away from it and want to keep it locked.

Maybe install a motion sensor alarm or something if you are in an office and have nosy neighbours who like to mess with your phone.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.appventive.MotionAlarm&hl=en

Or

https://market.android.com/details?...=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImduYS5nYXJneS5qb2x0TGl0ZSJd

 

[zeus1]

When I plug my x10, and my phone is already locked. It stays locked.

Now. If I unlock the phone and mount it....then, maybe it might stay unlocked (or at least until I hit the power button once to lock it)

Why not just plug in the phone and not mount it? If you don't mount it should definitely stay locked. And you don't need to mount to charge.

Not sure why you regularly want to mount the phone and walk away from it and want to keep it locked.

Maybe install a motion sensor alarm or something if you are in an office and have nosy neighbours who like to mess with your phone.

Hi. I'd rather have my phone secure than just an alarm on it. Do you need to unlock your phone before you can mount it? That's the way mine was before the update. Now it can be mounted as a USB drive without an unlock. I don't like it; it's not as secure as before.

Yes, I can plug my phone in and choose not to mount it, but the point is that the mount option pops up on the screen, i.e. no security. To use the phone in any way, besides a usb drive, it stays locked. The usb option is bypassing the lock. It wasn't like this before the 2.3.3 update.

Can anyone advise? Thanks for the response, btw.

 

[beau420]

Hi. I'd rather have my phone secure than just an alarm on it. Do you need to unlock your phone before you can mount it? That's the way mine was before the update. Now it can be mounted as a USB drive without an unlock. I don't like it; it's not as secure as before.

Yes, I can plug my phone in and choose not to mount it, but the point is that the mount option pops up on the screen, i.e. no security. To use the phone in any way, besides a usb drive, it stays locked. The usb option is bypassing the lock. It wasn't like this before the 2.3.3 update.

Can anyone advise? Thanks for the response, btw.

That is the way it is now.

If my phone is already locked and the screen is turned off, and I plug it in to a PC, the screen stays locked.

If I have my phone unlocked and the screen is on and I plug it in, it does prompt me to mount. And if I do, the screen will turn off, but if I wake it up, I do not have to unlock it.

If I plug the phone into a wall, it doesn't matter....screen on or off, it locks and obviously never prompts for mount.

That is the way it is for me.

So, unless I steal someone's phone and they have yet to lock it, and I keep it awake...and plug it into a computer, I can mount the sdcard.

Or I could remove the back of the phone and pop the battery and remove the SDCard and pop the SDCard into my computer and read everything on it.

That is the way it is.

 

[zeus1]

That is the way it is now.

If my phone is already locked and the screen is turned off, and I plug it in to a PC, the screen stays locked.

If I have my phone unlocked and the screen is on and I plug it in, it does prompt me to mount. And if I do, the screen will turn off, but if I wake it up, I do not have to unlock it.

If I plug the phone into a wall, it doesn't matter....screen on or off, it locks and obviously never prompts for mount.

That is the way it is for me.

So, unless I steal someone's phone and they have yet to lock it, and I keep it awake...and plug it into a computer, I can mount the sdcard.

Or I could remove the back of the phone and pop the battery and remove the SDCard and pop the SDCard into my computer and read everything on it.

That is the way it is.

That's they way mine used to be before the update, except that my phone always locks when the screen is shut off. I have to unlock it every time the screen is turned on. The USB mount is bypassing the lock and it didn't before. So your phone isn't doing what mine is. How do I get my phone to act more like yours?!

I note you're using 2.3.5, not 2.3.3, plus your phone is rooted. I don't remember if there was a security setting in the system settings to require an unlock prior to mounting the phone. There certainly isn't such a setting now.

You're right about taking the phone apart. Even if we managed to re-secure my phone back to the way it was, if someone found it, they could just take it apart and use the SD card in a computer.

It's just annoying that an update to the phone has removed a layer of security.

 

[beau420]

That's they way mine used to be before the update, except that my phone always locks when the screen is shut off. I have to unlock it every time the screen is turned on. The USB mount is bypassing the lock and it didn't before. So your phone isn't doing what mine is. How do I get my phone to act more like yours?!

I note you're using 2.3.5, not 2.3.3, plus your phone is rooted. I don't remember if there was a security setting in the system settings to require an unlock prior to mounting the phone. There certainly isn't such a setting now.

You're right about taking the phone apart. Even if we managed to re-secure my phone back to the way it was, if someone found it, they could just take it apart and use the SD card in a computer.

It's just annoying that an update to the phone has removed a layer of security.

I am actually using 2.3.3 again. I was using some other ROM but I installed the generic version again.

Have you ever installed another screen lock or lock screen? On any other previous version of Android you had installed on the phone?

After installing 2.3, did you do a factory reset of the phone in order to remove all the old settings from 2.1 and any other older version?

In the installation instructions for 2.3, it asks users after installing 2.3, to then do a Factory Reset on the phone and wipe all the old userdata.....just remember to do a backup of everything on the phone before you mess with it.

 

[SatansEvilTwin]

I am actually using 2.3.3 again. I was using some other ROM but I installed the generic version again.

Have you ever installed another screen lock or lock screen? On any other previous version of Android you had installed on the phone?

After installing 2.3, did you do a factory reset of the phone in order to remove all the old settings from 2.1 and any other older version?

In the installation instructions for 2.3, it asks users after installing 2.3, to then do a Factory Reset on the phone and wipe all the old userdata.....just remember to do a backup of everything on the phone before you mess with it.

Can someone give a answer as to why, the screen lock no longer works, when plugging in the usb cable, in version 2.3, as in previous versions?

If this is the new way, then this represents, a major security flaw. There needs to be a clear way to stop this from happening.

By not having a screen lock feature, it allows someone to steal information from the phone with out the user knowing. Yes the SD Card can be removed, but then the user would know something is a miss as the phone will be off, for no apparent reason, and can then take action to change any passwords, and accounts that would be compromised, ect

To the Android developers, this situation is unacceptable, in a world where your employees are required to adhere to company data policies. The android system then becomes a liability, to use. The lack of SD card encryption is also of major security flaw. Together making the deployment in a company situation not viable.

 

[beau420]

Can someone give a answer as to why, the screen lock no longer works, when plugging in the usb cable, in version 2.3, as in previous versions?

If this is the new way, then this represents, a major security flaw. There needs to be a clear way to stop this from happening.

By not having a screen lock feature, it allows someone to steal information from the phone with out the user knowing. Yes the SD Card can be removed, but then the user would know something is a miss as the phone will be off, for no apparent reason, and can then take action to change any passwords, and accounts that would be compromised, ect

To the Android developers, this situation is unacceptable, in a world where your employees are required to adhere to company data policies. The android system then becomes a liability, to use. The lack of SD card encryption is also of major security flaw. Together making the deployment in a company situation not viable.

I would contact Sony with your suggestion.

To be honest, if I can physically touch your phone....I can get the data off it...regardless of some screen lock. I would just reflash it....keep userdata. Then I could reflash the phone and keep the data.

So a simple screen lock to me...really does nothing for any phone...Android or iOS or Blackberry.

Unless they encrypt the SDCard, which would be a bug overhead.

People shouldn't ever be leaving their phone charging in a place where others can touch it and mess with it.

Maybe that's just me.

 

[beau420]

Check out this app.

It might do what you want it to do:

Void Lock Secures Your Android Phone by Making It Appear Turned Off

Void Lock keeps your phone secure by turning off your screen, as if the phone weren't on at all, and letting you unlock with a gesture.
If you really want to keep someone out of your phone, Void Lock has a very cool method for doing so: instead of presenting you with a gesture unlock screen, the screen stays turned off. Even if you press the power button on your phone or try and turn it off, your phone will appear as if its dead, until you swipe your gesture on the seemingly-off screen. It's a very clever lock, and works remarkably well on the phones it supports. You can even set other gestures to launch apps, change settings (like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or vibration) and set a failsafe button combination (like Power, Volume Up, Volume Down, Volume Up) in case something goes wrong.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.devjackey.voidlock