Encryption - Security Discussion

Hello,
I recently decided to look into encrypting my Nexus 4 running stock 5.1.1, but have a few questions before doing so.
I have a handful of modifications, including custom kernel, root, and xposed. Would any of these prevent me from encrypting my device, or cause problems afterwards?
I am planning on making a full twrp backup prior to the process, but if I encounter a problem during the encrypting process or realize that encryption isn't for me , will I be able to simply restore my nandroid and my device will restore without issue?
In order to reverse encryption, does the device need to be factory reset, or will just a restore reverse the encryption? If I made a nandroid backup while my device is encrypted and tried to restore it after my device is no longer encrypted would it restore without a problem, or would it restore the encryption with it?
Sorry for all the questions, I just want to ensure my data stays protected during this process. Thanks in advance.

Related

Best multiple ROM practice when using TWRP

Hello forums,
I have a rooted One running the latest official update version 44S with TWRP recovery. I am interested in flashing an Android Lollipop port (the one made from CM12 dailies). If I don't want to lose all my app data permanently (I know several resets and erases are necessary to swap ROMs), how can I back it up and then restore it once I've upgraded? Can I keep a backup of my current ROM/apps through the various resets necessary (just in case of big issues or bootloops)? FYI all my backups include system and data, but not cache.
Thanks to any help in advance!
If you're only backing up system and data, your phone will never boot when you restore the backup, you need to backup boot as well. You should always keep at least one backup on your phone at all times, just in case things go wrong. Unless you wipe your internal storage (which you don't need to do) you won't lose your backup. In regards to your user apps, just use Titanium Backup to back them up and then you can restore them after flashing a ROM.
Transmitted via Bacon

Restoring nandroid backup?

I know that TWRP on the pixel has issues restoring data due to the encryption with this phone. That said is there any steps to ensure that a restore will actually work other than actually disabling encryption and wiping the phone? I'd like to leave the encryption on if that's an option.
KingJ50 said:
I know that TWRP on the pixel has issues restoring data due to the encryption with this phone. That said is there any steps to ensure that a restore will actually work other than actually disabling encryption and wiping the phone? I'd like to leave the encryption on if that's an option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TWRP doesn't really have problems with encryption when it comes to restoring backups. The only problem is when you boot to recovery. If it doesn't ask for your pattern or pin, it can't decrypt things. The remedy is to reboot to recovery until it does ask. Once you've entered your pin or pattern, you're good to go. As for backups, you want to backup boot, system image, vendor image, and data. Don't backup system or vendor. Using them instead of the image files works but causes huge battery drain when you restore the backup. I've always done it this way and never had a problem. One more thing, use TWRP RC1. RC2 isn't reliable when it comes to restoring backups. In my experience anyway.
robocuff said:
TWRP doesn't really have problems with encryption when it comes to restoring backups. The only problem is when you boot to recovery. If it doesn't ask for your pattern or pin, it can't decrypt things. The remedy is to reboot to recovery until it does ask. -snip-
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have noticed that issue as well, but I'm referring to the fact that everytime I try to use the restore function it wipes my phone at first boot. I read that this has to do with the way TWRP handles restoring certain folders that the encryption doesn't like and initiates a wipe.
I'll try RC1 though see if that makes a difference.
KingJ50 said:
I have noticed that issue as well, but I'm referring to the fact that everytime I try to use the restore function it wipes my phone at first boot. I read that this has to do with the way TWRP handles restoring certain folders that the encryption doesn't like and initiates a wipe.
I'll try RC1 though see if that makes a difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
RC2 does that. RC1 doesn't have that issue.

[TWRP] Backup and Restore with TWRP

My OP6 has the TWRP 3.2.2 installed, with OOS 5.1.9 and Magisk. I would like to try out the new HAVOC rom, so i have done a full TWRP backup of all the partitions of the phone, and another one with only the BOOT, SYSTEM and DATA partitions.
But I have many doubts about the reliability of the TWRP restore: I read several posts related to bootloop and failures. I would like to avoid having to reinstall the whole phone from scratch.
Has anyone successfully full backed up and restored on the OP6 with TWRP? If so, which partitions did you backup?
The alternative would be to use Titanium backup, but the restore procedure would be much more complex.
I want answers about this as well. What partitions do we backup? What's the process to restore? I tried backing up everything then restoring it and i got a blank screen when I was suppose to see the boot animation.
Marlenio said:
My OP6 has the TWRP 3.2.2 installed, with OOS 5.1.9 and Magisk. I would like to try out the new HAVOC rom, so i have done a full TWRP backup of all the partitions of the phone, and another one with only the BOOT, SYSTEM and DATA partitions.
But I have many doubts about the reliability of the TWRP restore: I read several posts related to bootloop and failures. I would like to avoid having to reinstall the whole phone from scratch.
Has anyone successfully full backed up and restored on the OP6 with TWRP? If so, which partitions did you backup?
The alternative would be to use Titanium backup, but the restore procedure would be much more complex.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Our TWRP is very buggy i tried to restore whole backup using twrp and it failed showing error. But somewhere i got solution in xda.
Backup only data, system and boot and restore it will work.
But for safety always keep one extra full backup of all things like efs,modem, data, system, boot, vendor. Because sometime if something goes wrong u have rescue operation always there
Since this device is super easy to unbrick if needed I personally only keep a data backup of each ROM I use on my flash drive.
So I don't need to do a full setup when flashing a different rom.
Otherwise if something crazy happens and the device gets bricked, it's fixable with a PC.
Sent from my LG-H932 using XDA Labs

Taking a full NANDroid backup without unlocking the bootloader

Hello, is it possible to take a full NANDroid backup without first unlocking the bootloader? The reason I want to do it this way is because in order to unlock the bootloader, you first must wipe the device storage, and I'd like to take a backup of all installed programs and their data as well, so that if I want to go back to the original ROM I can do it totally seamlessly. I was trying to do it by first booting into TWRP using fastboot and then take a backup onto a flash drive with an OTG adapter, but without unlocking the bootloader which kinda makes the whole backup a bit useless since it wipes all apps, I get an error in fastboot which says that 'boot is not allowed in Lock State'.
Any other way of doing this?
I'm not so sure, because from what I've known, taking a Nandroid backup only posible in a unlocked bootloader state.
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Or try this method :
How to fully backup and restore your Android device without root
One of Android’s little-known tricks is its built-in backup and restore process that allows users to save their private data...
9to5google.com

Can I backup & restore including appdata with TWRP?

In the past I've always backed up my complete ROM incl. appdata with twrp. I didn't have to competely setup my device if flashing went wrong and reverted to stock. I had some bad luck flashing roms because the A/B slots are new to me. I now have my bootloader unlocked and everything setup on stock OOS, and made a twrp backup of super, recovery and data.
Before flashing another ROM I just want to make sure I can revert easily to the previous OS without doing a complete setup of app settings and stuff
My question is
Can I wipe/factory reset and then just restore with twrp?
Do I restore when in the active slot where current os is?
Are there any issues with password/encryption when restoring?
Expected scenario;
I'm on stock OOS, wiped and want to restore appdata, settings, homescreen, etc...
I failed to install custom ROM and want to revert to stock OOS without having to redo the entire setup
I did search google and this forum for an answer or guide but couldn't find one (please correct me if I missed a thread)
yusisushi said:
In the past I've always backed up my complete ROM incl. appdata with twrp. I didn't have to competely setup my device if flashing went wrong and reverted to stock. I had some bad luck flashing roms because the A/B slots are new to me. I now have my bootloader unlocked and everything setup on stock OOS, and made a twrp backup of super, recovery and data.
Before flashing another ROM I just want to make sure I can revert easily to the previous OS without doing a complete setup of app settings and stuff
My question is
Can I wipe/factory reset and then just restore with twrp?
Do I restore when in the active slot where current os is?
Are there any issues with password/encryption when restoring?
Expected scenario;
I'm on stock OOS, wiped and want to restore appdata, settings, homescreen, etc...
I failed to install custom ROM and want to revert to stock OOS without having to redo the entire setup
I did search google and this forum for an answer or guide but couldn't find one (please correct me if I missed a thread)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you read the first 3 posts of https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...recovery-project-8t-kebab-2022-03-09.4302449/ ?
BillGoss said:
Did you read the first 3 posts of https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...recovery-project-8t-kebab-2022-03-09.4302449/ ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI, yes I did
I am still confused because it says before a restore I have to disable screenlock, if my phone is softbricked or has no OS does that count as not having fingerprint/lockscreen enabled?
yusisushi said:
HI, yes I did
I am still confused because it says before a restore I have to disable screenlock, if my phone is softbricked or has no OS does that count as not having fingerprint/lockscreen enabled?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you start TWRP, does it prompt you for a password/pin/pattern?
If Yes, then you have a lock screen password set. And if you can't get into the system to disable it, you'll have to format data (completely wipes all data).
If No, then you're good to go.
BillGoss said:
When you start TWRP, does it prompt you for a password/pin/pattern?
If Yes, then you have a lock screen password set. And if you can't get into the system to disable it, you'll have to format data (completely wipes all data).
If No, then you're good to go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, first of all; thank you for taking time to help me!
I managed to completely wipe the phone including data, and afterwards I restored it by copying the backup (which was now on my computer) and restoring it. SUCCESS! All appdata seems to be there, homescreen, and after second reboot my fingerprint still worked as before.
I just have one more question if you don't mind;
Below partitions I backed up;
Data
Boot
DTBO
Super
However, I'm not able to copy over the "super" partition from my computer to my phone, is this normal? it's almost 8GB and I was convinced I wasn't going to get to the OS without restoring it but apparently I didn't need it (?)
I suppose with the Fastboot Enhance Tool I'll be able to also restore this?
You really only need to backup the "system" partitions (boot, dtbo, super) if you're changing to custom ROMs. If you're always on OOS then you can forget about backing them up.
You should be able to copy the full backup, including super files from your PC to your phone using ADB. I've done that lots of times.
I've never used the tool you referred to. But I do know that you can't use fastboot to flash the super partition - it's too big.
However, if you break it up into chunks (I did it in 512MB chunks) using SparseConverter (https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/tool-sparseconverter-v1-0-1.2749797/) then you can successfully flash it.
Just to confirm, if a ROM bootloops and I don't have access to a computer, there's no way to restore the TWRP backup? Seems like this defeats the point of even making on-device backups (AFAIK encryption can't be disabled for many roms)
tech.central said:
Just to confirm, if a ROM bootloops and I don't have access to a computer, there's no way to restore the TWRP backup? Seems like this defeats the point of even making on-device backups (AFAIK encryption can't be disabled for many roms)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can enter TWRP (even if your rom bootloops) there is a great chance you can restore backup in TWRP.

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