Database Info

Security Issues - Encryption of the SD Card

Hi, there!
Like many others, I have only recently switched from WM6.5 to Android (with my new HTC Desire).
WM 6 introduced the possibility to encrypt the SD Card, making it only readable in the PPC it was originally encrypted in. I found this a very helpful tool and had bought a respective app from Spritesoft. Unfortunately, their Android software is still in the beginning status, and therefore, I bought yesterday the app from WaveSecure.
I was surprised, however, that they do not offer an encryption for the SD card as I know it from my old TyTN II.
Is anybody here who can advice - tweak, app, or whatever?
I mean, it's nice to secure the phone - but the sensible data are being stored in files on the SD card in the end. And if you lose your device, it may well be broke, but the SD card lives and cannot be wyped in a broken device either.

I couldn't agree more. There are a few applications that either offer individual file passwords, which is not very secure, or just offer encryption of its own text files, like OI Safe. I used to use a commercial application on Windows Mobile, Sentry 2020, which allowed you to create a an encrypted volume within your storage, internal or external. This was ideal, as it allowed you to store any kind of files in this. After a timeout period, the volume was automatically closed and your files were secure. It is a shame that the last activity in Sentry's website is in 2007.

I should be receiving a desire very shortly and am very concerned by the current lack of device level encryption.
Does anyone know if there are any products in development that will soon allow device encryption?
Is the hardware and OS itself capable of supporting full device encryption?

hi, i want to reopen this issue because today i asked myself the same question.
i have tested several apps but most of them are not useable for a large number of files or folders.... what we really need is a secret partition and something like truecrypt.... i didn´t find anything in the net... so if somebody has an idea or solution for that, i would be happy...
thank you!

htclerman said:
hi, i want to reopen this issue because today i asked myself the same question.
i have tested several apps but most of them are not useable for a large number of files or folders.... what we really need is a secret partition and something like truecrypt.... i didn´t find anything in the net... so if somebody has an idea or solution for that, i would be happy...
thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did you encounter anything using AES/Rijndael or at least Blowfish or Twofish algorithm? I need something to encrypt single files/folders only. TIA!

wizja said:
did you encounter anything using AES/Rijndael or at least Blowfish or Twofish algorithm? I npartitioneed something to encrypt single files/folders only. TIA!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you speak about apps?
If yes, there is nothing out there
I know that is working fast with a big number of files. There must be an option to encrypt a whole partition,
That's the only thing that would make sense.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

http://tasker.dinglisch.net/tour.html
Claims to support encryption, kind of complicated through.

htclerman said:
Do you speak about apps?
If yes, there is nothing out there
I know that is working fast with a big number of files. There must be an option to encrypt a whole partition,
That's the only thing that would make sense.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With the ability to put apps on the SDCard this is going to be an unlikely feature to work well....
Your best bet is looking for something with a good remote wipe/lock feature.

If you have a partition formatted with ext2/3/4, it's only a matter of copying over static binaries of lvm, device-mapper and cryptsetup, and creating a script called via initrc or controlled via /etc/init.d
I've posted about a similar solution for /data. Search for it.

Push for implementating it in Android:
Using dm-crypt to Encrypt the SD Card...? - xda-developers
Using dm-crypt to Encrypt the SD Card...? - CyanogenMod Forum
Issue 11211 - android - Android too insecure - Encryption of the SDcard is crucial - Project Hosting on Google Code
Issue 3748 - android - Add support for partition/block device encryption - Project Hosting on Google Code

Anybody using Dropsync with 5.0.x?

The app developer hasn't updated it for Lollipop's new folder hierarchy permission, and he seems to be pointing everyone who asks about it to his Kitkat workaround (https://metactrl.com/docs/sdcard-on-kitkat/). I tried to create the necessary directory via ES File Explorer, but it couldn't create it. Consequently, Dropsync has become completely useless for me. Does anybody use it and have advice? I might be willing to root it if it solves the problem entirely... I hadn't had a reason to root prior. Lollipop penetration is so low that I can't find information on it anywhere else, hence why I'm hoping someone with a Shield has figured it out.

Unfortunately the only apps I've seen accessing the file system properly are the ones that have the special lollipop hack that it looks like was begrudgingly added at the last second.
That much being said, it is ENTIRELY possible that if you are not able to write to your SD card, it is because the SD card is not properly formatted. I recently posted an article somewhere in this forum about how I reformatted my SD card and got apps to write to it and everything was peachy keen.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2973307
Disclaimer: I really hope this works for you but given my Thanks it's only been called functional by one other person besides me.

I actually did try formatting as NTFS (after seeing your post) and it was unsuccessful. However, I did quick format and I see now that your post says to format it twice. Perhaps I'll try it again this evening.
Thanks for your input, either way!

Any reason why not to root? DS works fine for me on 2.1 and starkissed kernel

Mathman85 said:
I actually did try formatting as NTFS (after seeing your post) and it was unsuccessful. However, I did quick format and I see now that your post says to format it twice. Perhaps I'll try it again this evening.
Thanks for your input, either way!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry to hear that. I probably formatted my SD card a couple times too.
berryman13 said:
Any reason why not to root? DS works fine for me on 2.1 and starkissed kernel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because warranty. Because good old days of not needing root.

Regarding root, I simply haven't had a need to with the Shield. With my phones and older tablets, there is functionality that I could only gain through root. But with the Shield, it's not like I'm removing carrier bloat, tethering behind the carrier's back, etc. I'm not necessarily worried about the warranty aspect... I do have microscopic hairline fractures on the corners, but I'm not petty enough to submit for a warranty exchange for cosmetic blemishes that don't affect performance, and I don't foresee other warranty-worthy issues.
Would root allow me to completely resolve the issue, though? As I mentioned, the developer's write-up specifically covers fixing the issue on KitKat, not Lollipop.

berryman13 said:
Any reason why not to root? DS works fine for me on 2.1 and starkissed kernel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OFF TOPIC but, what is the starkissed kernel? I searched the shield tablet forum for that keyword and this was the only mention it found....

PSA: If you encounter a problem where an app asks for write permissions for the sd card, but selecting it in the documents menu that pops up causes it to crash, format the drive as NTFS and assign a volume label. I had formatted as NTFS but not assigned a volume label and had this issue... once I assigned a label, it was remedied.
And the dropsync developer is updating the app to support these permissions very soon.

[Q] How do I root without having to factor reset?? Don't want to lose photos.. HELP!!

So I've been looking for a solution for the past 2 months now it is SO frustrating. Anyway so...
I own a LG Nexus 5 (non rooted), and I've been using this photo app called VSCOcam solely as my phone camera for the last 2 years, and I've taken thousands and thousands of photos with it. The phone has been amazing for the last 2 years but it is time for an upgrade.
So I went to backup my phone and realized that VSCOcam had screwed me... The app has its own internal library so unless you "export" the photos, they are not accessible in /sdcard. Someone in XDA forums had the app and told me that the photos are stored inside "/data/data/com.vsco.cam/files/images" and unless I root I wont have access.
Now heres the cycle of stupidness which I think you all can guess. In order to root -> I need to unlock my bootloader, and to unlock my bootloader -> I need to factory reset!
I've tried just about everything to root my phone without factory resetting, so far none has succeeded.I contacted the devs for VSCOcam and they told me to highlight the photos individually and export... are you kidding me??
What should I do? Should I just bite the bullet and lose ALL MY PHOTOS?? The app is currently listed as 12gb in size thats so heartbreaking!!!
TL;DR - VSCOcam hid thousands of photos in "/data/data/com.vsco.cam/files/images" which is unreachable without root, and to root means to factory reset my phone wiping all the photos I'm trying to get in the first place...

mobscene8859 said:
So I've been looking for a solution for the past 2 months now it is SO frustrating. Anyway so...
I own a LG Nexus 5 (non rooted), and I've been using this photo app called VSCOcam solely as my phone camera for the last 2 years, and I've taken thousands and thousands of photos with it. The phone has been amazing for the last 2 years but it is time for an upgrade.
So I went to backup my phone and realized that VSCOcam had screwed me... The app has its own internal library so unless you "export" the photos, they are not accessible in /sdcard. Someone in XDA forums had the app and told me that the photos are stored inside "/data/data/com.vsco.cam/files/images" and unless I root I wont have access.
Now heres the cycle of stupidness which I think you all can guess. In order to root -> I need to unlock my bootloader, and to unlock my bootloader -> I need to factory reset!
I've tried just about everything to root my phone without factory resetting, so far none has succeeded.I contacted the devs for VSCOcam and they told me to highlight the photos individually and export... are you kidding me??
What should I do? Should I just bite the bullet and lose ALL MY PHOTOS?? The app is currently listed as 12gb in size thats so heartbreaking!!!
TL;DR - VSCOcam hid thousands of photos in "/data/data/com.vsco.cam/files/images" which is unreachable without root, and to root means to factory reset my phone wiping all the photos I'm trying to get in the first place...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder if you can't use something like Helium to make the backup. If you're not rooted, it uses ADB to make a backup (I think). See where you get with that. If you can get them on your hard drive, they should be yours for the taking.

Aerowinder said:
I wonder if you can't use something like Helium to make the backup. If you're not rooted, it uses ADB to make a backup (I think). See where you get with that. If you can get them on your hard drive, they should be yours for the taking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the suggestion, but I've already tried that, when I connect it to my PC Helium tells me the app is not supported and contact the app devs.... It was one of 3 apps that wasn't supported.
I could only laugh at my misery. :good:

mobscene8859 said:
Thank you for the suggestion, but I've already tried that, when I connect it to my PC Helium tells me the app is not supported and contact the app devs.... It was one of 3 apps that wasn't supported.
I could only laugh at my misery. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried running an ADB backup manually from the command line? http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-nexus/general/guide-phone-backup-unlock-root-t1420351
adb backup -all ??

What's the problem with exporting them then? Am I missing something?

Yes, I think you are. I had a look for VSCO and came across a post in January from mobscene asking exactly the same question, and I can see what he's getting at. This is what VSCO tech support say:
https://vsco.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200435135-VSCO-Cam-How-do-I-save-my-images-
"You can save as many items as you want from your VSCO Cam library by simply tapping once on each image, and then selecting the share icon."
Since the images are stored in data/data, inaccessible via a file explorer on an unrooted phone, mobscene can't do a straight drag-and-drop.
And, as he says, before he can root the phone he'll have to unlock the bootloader, which will wipe the images. Catch 22, sort of defeats the point of the exercise.
But if this has been going on now for eight months, the manual export (tapping multiple images at a time and exporting - the VSCO site shows multiple select is possible) could have been done by now. An enormous effort, I get that, but if the photos are important enough then maybe worthwhile. Looks like the only option.

Unable to set Moto Camera to save to SD card

So somewhere along the way of flashing and testing ROMs, I lost the ability to set the Moto Camera app to save to the SD card, at least in the last few ROMs I've tried (Turbo being my current ROM). In the original camera app (com.motorola.camera) the icon to set storage location is just not showing up, and in the new Moto Camera app (com.motorola.cameraone) the setting is there, but grayed out. The CM Snap camera has no problem saving to SD card.
I do not use my SD card as adopted storage, and I have tried renaming the DCIM folder on the SD card to something else and clearing data on the camera app, but the option still isn't there or is grayed out. Is there a trick to get this to work, or (probably opening a can of worms here) a better camera app for day to day use? I don't like CM's Snap camera, changing things like exposure take too long and pictures seem a bit dark... The Moto camera takes good pictures and the setttings I use are easy to access, but I really want it to save to the SD card.

Here is one solution, I haven't tried it yet-
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=67450652
Here is my workaround-
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3386812
Broadcasted from Zeta Reticuli

Gravemind2015 said:
Here is one solution, I haven't tried it yet-
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=67450652
Here is my workaround-
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3386812
Broadcasted from Zeta Reticuli
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So basically switch back to RezRemix (which works) or find a different camera app since I won't run Xposed on anything but stock and tweaking in system causes problems when applying updates later.
So my assumption that this is a path or naming issue in the ROMs is the problem is correct?
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

acejavelin said:
So basically switch back to RezRemix (which works) or find a different camera app since I won't run Xposed on anything but stock and tweaking in system causes problems when applying updates later.
So my assumption that this is a path or naming issue in the ROMs is the problem is correct?
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am wondering the same thing. Why its not getting 'fixed' is the question hitting me. Probably its related to the path because external sdcard is not in /storage/sdcard1 but on /storage/xxxx-xxxx. But even then, symlinking both via terminal or even mounting the sdcard in sdcard1 folder(made by mkdir) doesn't work. Hope it soon be fixed.
Broadcasted from Zeta Reticuli

Hmm... Just restored RezRemix, guess it doesn't save to SD card.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

I think this is the best way since you don't need to modify your system but just add a permission. For some reason this permission is not granted even by editing the apk.

Alberto97 said:
I think this is the best way since you don't need to modify your system but just add a permission. For some reason this permission is not granted even by editing the apk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This worked perfectly! I will share some detailed instructions later.
EDIT:
Was going to rewrite all this, but this post explains it pretty well: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3275394
The key is to make sure you get it in the right spot, you have to put it as entry in perms in the package section.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

acejavelin said:
This worked perfectly! I will share some detailed instructions later.
EDIT:
Was going to rewrite all this, but this post explains it pretty well: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3275394
The key is to make sure you get it in the right spot, you have to put it as entry in perms in the package section.
Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Worked perfectly here too
Sent from my MotoG3 using XDA-Developers mobile app

acejavelin said:
This worked perfectly! I will share some detailed instructions later.
EDIT:
Was going to rewrite all this, but this post explains it pretty well: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3275394
The key is to make sure you get it in the right spot, you have to put it as entry in perms in the package section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Worked perfectly for me to bro......thanks

acejavelin said:
So somewhere along the way of flashing and testing ROMs, I lost the ability to set the Moto Camera app to save to the SD card, at least in the last few ROMs I've tried (Turbo being my current ROM). In the original camera app (com.motorola.camera) the icon to set storage location is just not showing up, and in the new Moto Camera app (com.motorola.cameraone) the setting is there, but grayed out. The CM Snap camera has no problem saving to SD card.
I do not use my SD card as adopted storage, and I have tried renaming the DCIM folder on the SD card to something else and clearing data on the camera app, but the option still isn't there or is grayed out. Is there a trick to get this to work, or (probably opening a can of worms here) a better camera app for day to day use? I don't like CM's Snap camera, changing things like exposure take too long and pictures seem a bit dark... The Moto camera takes good pictures and the setttings I use are easy to access, but I really want it to save to the SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This work in all the moto g family try!!
https://forum.xda-developers.com/mo...-motorala-camera-write-to-externalsd-t3498573

Is Root what I'm looking for?

Hello friends,
I have a Galaxy Note 5 from Verizon; Over the years, I've used this phone extensively for sending SMS messages ("texting") and now would like to gain access to the data files/database backing Verizon's Message+ app. As far as I can tell, none of the App binaries and their associated data are accessible via the standard [non-rooted] Phone-->USB-->PC interface?
A couple questions:
1) Can you confirm that Rooting a Galaxy Note 5 WILL NOT wipe the data that is currently on the device?
(I assume the Root process will not require the device to revert to a factory state, wiping the data files I seek to preserve?)
2) Can you confirm that rooting the device is necessary to access the App binaries & their associated data files?
3) Years ago I read that rooting the Galaxy Note 5 would permanently break the "KNOX" security mechanism as some type of tamper fuse would be blown. I assume this is still the case?
(This phone is no longer my primary phone so while I seek not to damage the phone any more than I have to, I'm now willing to bulldoze the KNOX functionality, if it means I can access the data I want)
(I'm aware the messaging data is likely stored in a proprietary data format, though I have heard rumors Sqlite is used. Regardless, the data format is not a concern provided I can access it)
Thank you in advance for your help!

bump

bump

Bump

SMS Backup & Restore – Apps on Google Play
A simple app that backs up and restores SMS & MMS messages and call logs.
play.google.com

Whoa, there is life out there! Thanks for the response
I'll definitely check out the app, but would definitely be interested in gaining access to a low-level filesystem copy of the messaging data directly from my device.
Can you confirm whether rooting an Android device generally leaves pre-exisisting data (before the root) in place?

it depends what root method you use
if you use magisk or supersu via twrp, you need to unlock bootloader which when you unlock bootlaoder it wipes all data (bootloader is safekeeper to phone partitions, so they can be edited)
but if you use some one clikck root (like kingroot) you wont lose data.
and with root, even if you do access database in /data folder, it will be in sqlite database, and a lot, and completely unsorted.
you can copy it to pc, and create app which can read and sort from database, but otherwise is not usable other than archive, you cant use it in any other app again
but with app without root, you gain same thing, even if you cant use in any app again, you can keep it as archive, as it exctracts (without root)
but with app i think you would be able to recover and use again, depends on device, (like, you wont be able to use those messages from samsung to lg messagess app)

Awesome, thank you for the info. At some point, I would like to explore all of the various ways to root a device, but in this particular case where I want to backup all SMS conversation data (text, pictures, etc.) from the existing (non-rooted) device, it sounds like the one click approach is definitely what I need (vs. unlocking the bootloader)
Your comments about using an App (without root) are also very intriguing. Is there an Android app that can give me access to all the data (or at least all the data that the SMS app would have access to) on the phone without rooting it? (Can you recommend one?) The SMS Backup & Restore App you mentioned earlier seems interesting, but I'd like to get something that will generally allow me to get data from the internal filesystem.
Ideally, I just need some way (ssh/ftp/other) to transfer data from the phone to my PC. I'm fully expecting that I'll have to do some reverse engineering on the database/data files that I copy from the device and alsi do some custom coding to extract the messages (including embedded pictures/ movies) that I wish to preserve.
Thank you again for any other advice or suggestions you can offer!