So, I'm thinking about encrypting my phone and my phone's SD card as part of my Super Security New Years Resolutions!!
I like to use the 4-digit PIN for regular screen unlock. As I understand it, if you encrypt the S4 (and this may apply to S5 and S6 as well), you have to then use a password to unlock your phone each time (not just when decrypting from boot). It apparently won't let you use your PIN anymore.
Can anyone confirm if this is true or not? I want to encrypt, but I want to keep my 4-digit PIN for regular screen unlock. Ideally I would enter my encryption passphrase on phone BOOT and then from then it would just be my PIN to unlock. I don't want to have to enter the encryption passphrase all of the time. Hope this makes sense.
Looking for answers from people who have actually done this and not just speculation, thank you!
the degree of risk really depends on which bootloader and OS youre running (if not root). The older (more established) the distro the less apt you are to run into bugs (intentional or unintentional) in the code, especially around encryption.
you should get root and a stable OS (ROM) then tackle encryption. If running anything 5.1.1 or greater, the new year is most certainly going to bring on new concerns around the topic of encryption.
You dont want to pull the trigger on encrypting the device and not have a few nandroids and/or Odin flashables ready in the event you need to retreat and or start over and/or change your mind. Newer devices are getting harder and harder to return from bootloop/encryption/brick.
Plan to do it - but also - plan "as if" you wont like it and will need to return your device to current (precrypt) or new state.
The pass phrase is technically what legally protects you from the threats that would cause one to encrypt. If youre just trying to keep your peers and potential hackers out of your device, there are less formal, yet still very strong, ways to make that happen. But as an Android user, without fingerprint ID, you have something protecting you from state sponsored surveillance and/or confiscation: the 4th Amendment. Virginia ruling earlier this year states that fingerprint authentication is not protected under the 4th amendment so if your device hosts this capability you can be forced to surrender and/or open the device if requested by an authority. (including the TSA, during a traffic stop, formal random search, or by your carrier)
I appreciate your response, but I think you're about 20 miles away from getting at my question???
I'm running Lollipop. Not rooted. I really have no reason to root my device, so I plan on using the regular firmware.
Strictly interested if encrypting will force me to not use my PIN and use a pass code on every screen unlock. Also strictly interested only in people who have done this and not on speculation or theory.
Let me look around at some options, I get what you mean. Let me see if anyone is developing anything that may work for you. Check back in later on.
Unencrypted encryption. Ive seen crazier things, cant promise its out there, haha, but Ill sure run a search for it among the other Developers I work with.
Sorry, I don't think you understand what I'm getting at or I wasn't very clear. I'm certainly not talking about "unencrypted encryption".
My phone currently is NOT encrypted but requires a 4 digit PIN to unlock the screen. Not just at boot-up.
Rumor has it, when you encrypt Galaxys, you then CANNOT use a PIN to unlock the screen. You have to enter a PASSWORD, whether its your encryption password or not. You can't use Swipe, etc. to unlock the screen anymore. I want to RETAIN this feature when I encrypt my device and my SD card.
I don't want to enter my encryption passphrase, or any other password, when I unlock my screen. I only want to enter my 4 digit PIN as I currently do. This is about as clear as I can state it!