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Lost encrypted files on samsung galaxy S3

Hello !!
I have Samsung Galaxy S3 Korean SHL-E210L. I encrypted my internal storage memory unintentionally without knowing what encryption actually means. When the process started, i restarted my phone in order to stop the process. But the same window appeared again and I was forced to complete the process. When the phone again started, all my data was lost and the phone was like brand new. No password was set up on the mobile ( as the encryption always needs a password to start) and I could start it without a password but still I was not able to view any of my files. I received no error of wiping of data or failure of encryption. Kindly guide me how to open or view the encrypted data? Have I lost it? How can I confirm that the data was actually encrypted or not?

Son deleted data by factory reset- recovery method?

Crap. Son deleted LG G5 data off internal memory by factory resetting my phone, deleting my .amr's and some voice recorder files - evidence for an upcoming court case.
They were my only copy recordings necessary to prove essential points in a lawsuit.
Is there a guide or method to recovering the data off the internal memory of my LG G5 from the filesystem/flash? I figure I would need to mount the device to Windows or Linux and use some type of tool to read directly from the internal memory and dump that to my PC and then perform recovery methods. Even if I can only recover some of the files I would he happy.
Just happened tonight and phone is turned off until I figure out what to do.
Luckily phone internal memory was not password protected or encrypted - reading raw should work no?
Cheap freeware method or open-source preferred. Windows solution also preferred. None root of the phone option also preferred but not required.

if the phone was stock/unrooted then unless you somehow went out of your way.. the data was encrypted. all android devices that start with android 6 or higher have force encrypt enabled by default.. whether a password was set or not.
as for actually trying to recover the data... not sure. I thought the stock recovery securely erases the entire data partition and doesn't just format the space which is how people usually luck out and recover flash storage data.
if you had TWRP installed then perhaps it did not get erased securely and you have a better chance at recovery.
posts like these give hope that something could be restored.. but it might take more effort than using a simple tool: http://security.stackexchange.com/questions/12503/can-wiped-ssd-data-be-recovered
good luck!

The only thing I know of that may come close to recovering your data is: Kroll OnTrack Easy Recovery Enterprise. However... Make sure you aren't eating anything before you look at the price... You may choke on your food.

Autoprime sounds right. Unless you did twrp and removed encryption intentionally, you'll likely need to surrender your phone to a data recovery service to have any hope of those files being recovered. Unfortunately, I cannot further advise you on recovering data from your phone, especially as I'm not even sure it's possible at this point.
I know you didn't come here for a lesson, so I'll just say that if you want some tips on device security or cloud backups, feel free to contact me for advice.

Decrypt SD card after factory reset

Hello,
I unexpectedly had to do a factory reset on my S7 while the SD card was encrypted, as result the SD was not obviously readable afterward.
I saved part of the encrypted content of the SD card (basically the pictures) before formatting it and starting using it again, however I'm not able to recover this content.
I tried with the procedure I found on internet:
- saving the encrypted data
- format the SD card
- encrypt of it
- copy of the saved content back to the SD
- decrypt
However, at the decrypt state the phone don't move from an 'Analyzing SD card' phase.
Any idea? I'm afraid I should have saved all the content of the SD card...
Thank you

You should plug the SD card on to your PC using an SD Card reader. Open up CMD, and type diskpart.
After which, type list volume, and you will see the "drive letter" of your SD Card, type clean and afterwards...
Proceed to typing create partition primary size = "insert capacity of SD card here (mb" *w/o the quotation marks*
After which, type assign letter=F
It should work fine after this hopefully.

When you encrypt the SD card, Android makes a unique key that is stored in the Android trust store. When you factory reset the device, that key is lost. Permanently. Remember, the whole point of encryption is so malicious parties cannot access your data. If you could just read it again after factory resetting then there isn't much point is there? Your only option is brute-forcing it.
Always backup. Always.

CurtisMJ said:
When you encrypt the SD card, Android makes a unique key that is stored in the Android trust store. When you factory reset the device, that key is lost. Permanently. Remember, the whole point of encryption is so malicious parties cannot access your data. If you could just read it again after factory resetting then there isn't much point is there? Your only option is brute-forcing it.
Always backup. Always.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you
I do have a backup, however it was more convenient to restore the 20GB of photos from the SD rather than from the cloud.
I was reading some guides on internet with this procedure that's why I tried.
I will survive, thank you both for your answer

Mone181 said:
Thank you
I do have a backup, however it was more convenient to restore the 20GB of photos from the SD rather than from the cloud.
I was reading some guides on internet with this procedure that's why I tried.
I will survive, thank you both for your answer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If somehow it was possible to backup the encryption key which is generated randomly on each phone then it would be possible to decrypt it on your PC even if the phone was damaged using your password and encryption key. For some stupid reason this is not implemented in Android (but it was doable for some devices), for example TrueCrypt or Microsoft Bitlocker allow it.

difto said:
If somehow it was possible to backup the encryption key which is generated randomly on each phone then it would be possible to decrypt it on your PC even if the phone was damaged using your password and encryption key. For some stupid reason this is not implemented in Android (but it was doable for some devices), for example TrueCrypt or Microsoft Bitlocker allow it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I thought the encryption was based on pin of the phone actually.
Lesson learned

Hello,
I have similar problem, but with Sony Xperia Z5 Compact. I made factory reset but didn't decrypt SD card before. SD card was ejected before reset, so I have all the datas, but cannot open them.
Is there any chance that I may recover my photos and videos if I don't have any backup?
Best regards.

Anyone?

Hi everyone
I kinda have the same problem. But the difference in my case is that I didn't reset the phone. While operating normally, one day it gave me a notification that encryption has failed. When I touched it, a page opened with the button of decrypt SD card at the bottom. I thought a restart would fix the issue. But when restarted, the contents of my SD cannot be accessed. I tried to decrypt it manually but in the settings, it thinks that the SD is unencrypted and only gives me the option to encrypt it, which obviously fails after every try. I was wondering if there is any way to trigger the decryption manually? Because I didn't reset the phone or anything and the data is still there. The phone just fails to see it.
Thanks in advance

Hey! I can confirm for 1000% the method you said worked for me:
- saving the encrypted data
- format the SD card
- encrypt of it
- copy of the saved content back to the SD
- decrypt
I deleted a video was able to retrieve it using Diskdigger on my pc. But then I was unable to open it because it was encrypted. So than I decrypted the SD in my phone only to find out the files were than unrecoverable deleted!?! Luckily I copied the files to my pc before decrypting!!! I used ur method and it worked decrypted it and everything played fine! Must say I was on the same os same phone(s8) so that must've been why it worked anyway still it worked. I'm happy, I acquired parental responsibility because of u?

I have made a similar stupid mistake I rooted my galaxy s8 and forgot to decrypt the SD card... now can anyone help me with the steps that I can fallow to decrypt the camera folder...

I to have a same problum ..
please any one find out the result of that data recover from encripted sd card from samsung a50

How to permanently erase data ?

Hi guys, I deleted some videos and photos from my Huawei 9 Mate the normal way before I let go, but I want to be sure that no one can restore it. I also downloaded Shreddit app and I will use it on empty storage space. Are any data still recorevable after this ? I did a little research and found out that Huawei can't be encrypted, so can anyone give me a tip, what to do, so no one could recover any data ? Thanks

materoni said:
Hi guys, I deleted some videos and photos from my Huawei 9 Mate the normal way before I let go, but I want to be sure that no one can restore it. I also downloaded Shreddit app and I will use it on empty storage space. Are any data still recorevable after this ? I did a little research and found out that Huawei can't be encrypted, so can anyone give me a tip, what to do, so no one could recover any data ? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will be fine, are you that concerned? Chances of someone actually digging old information out is NOT LIKELY going to happen unless for some reason the phone lands in the wrong hands and involves authorities

to get clean, you can use this app -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apparillos.android.androshredder
to get a safer access to your personal files, you can use this app -> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.egosecure.uem.encryption
but 100% safeness, seems to be impossible until now. (depending on whoever gets the device in their hands)

Hi, thank you for your tips. I downloaded both apps. I already deleted the files a week ago, so now I just have to wipe the internal storage, but it doesn't give you the option to wipe just empty space. I will have to wipe everything. Is the Andro Shredder better than Shreddit ? With Shreddit you can wipe just internal empty space. The EgoSecure Encryption seems just to encrypt single files, can I encrypt the whole storage before factory reset ? In Huawei there is also function called "safe" when I go to security (I don't have the english version), where you can choose password for the whole internal storage, wouldn't this be enough for encryption ? Thanks

i have no own experience with the Huawei build in encryption.
EgoSecure is also able to encrypt the whole folders if you need.
AndroShredder can cleanup and shredder internal and external SD! Sometimes you have to go to the upper right side to the 3 dots to select "show internal drive too" to be able to have access to both sd cards.
I had tried both apps (androshredder and shreddit). androshredder has won because i can't get access with shreddit to files on external sd! they are shown with a lock symbol.

Go into Recovery Mode, then select 'wipe data...' and 'wipe cache...'.

How to recover deleted media?

Hi
Is it possible to recover deleted images & video from an android phone: OP 5T, LineageOS, rooted, TWRP, encrypted. (I can boot into recovery where TWRP asks for a password which works).
I've looked at various methods and tried adb pull /data partition to save as file.img, but it's encrypted. Photorec can't work on that.
When I asked on a reddit thread, it was indicated that when a file is deleted, its encryption key is deleted too, so impossible to retrieve.
Any ideas, or is this a lost cause due to the phone's encryption?
Thanks

Forget it, don't waste more time with this ...

Your only option is to hope that you have not re-written over the old data and a data recovery specialist can attempt to recover lost or deleted files. But it is expensive and time-consuming.