[REQ] Password protected boot/fastboot/recovery

maedox · Apr 9, 2010

Even if one has installed some kind of lockdown/tracking software + lock pattern there is always the possibility that a thief would know how to reflash and/or wipe the phone or be able to use Google to find out how.

Has anyone worked on adding the possibility of locking access to fastboot, recovery and OS boot? (Password protecting adb would also be a nice addition.)

There is not much these forums about it. Here is a thread that died: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=531225

I would be fine with compiling my own recovery image if that is what it takes to get my own password, but I guess fastboot is the biggest concern.

I hope some smart developers will take their time to read this and think about it. Let's hear some input on how big of a task this is. I am sure it can be done, so take the challenge and show us some love.

ayman07 · Apr 9, 2010

wow this is an awesome idea. ya because apps like mobiledefense or wavesecure would be useless if the thief knows how to wipe the phone. this would be great and i would love to see it work. i dont know crap about making my own recovery or else i would do it if thats what it means to make my own password protected recovery. but like u said, fastboot is a greater challenge.

MonkySlap · Apr 9, 2010

I could see recovery maybe having this but the bootloader you are out of luck unless you have a dev or holiday version of the nexus. We currently cant flash custom SPL's because they are sig checked.

MatMew · Apr 10, 2010

What happens when you forget your password? Brick?

minogue · Apr 10, 2010

MatMew said:
What happens when you forget your password? Brick?

Damn if you forget it than you are just too stupid, lol Jk

but good question, however i don't think any development on this will be done anytime soon, id definitely support it though if it ever starts.

persiansown · Apr 10, 2010

Locking the SPL would require us to be able to write/flash one, which is currently impossible

theslam08 · Apr 10, 2010

Maybe a petition to google to set forth this new option then?

Because I was thinking the same thing...our laptops can do it, because duh, if someone steals your lappy they could just wipe to get the hardware so we can put a BIOS password so even thats impossible.

Our so 'open' phones should follow suit...please google, read this. It would be a fantastic option, that way its rendered completely useless to anyone that steals it and is smart with them (aka anyone reading these forums

).

THANKS

bubbahump · Apr 10, 2010

I want it

I've been thinking of how to 'secure' my phone's data again since I unlocked the bootloader... but this would be the way.

The feature request goes like this: Password protect the bootloader both for fastboot and getting into recovery (the option to start recovery should be password protected). A wipe is required in order to reset the password.

An additional and optional theft lock (along the lines of what the OP wants) would disable the password reset/wipe feature altogether, essentially bricking the phone if the password is unknown. Not exactly what I want (I just want my data to be safe), but should be easy enough to add both options if we have the code and can flash the SPL.

Obviously this is going nowhere if we can't flash the SPL, but there's no harm in putting this out there for Google to include in the next signed SPL.

Everyone should realize that unlocking the bootloader essentially puts all the data on your phone out there for anyone to grab without a password, given that they know a few things about fastboot/recovery. This is likely why Google forces a wipe when you originally unlock. We 'unlockers' should be given a way to get that security back.

bubbahump · Apr 10, 2010

We'd also need to find a way to 'type' a password (for the recovery option) while in the bootloader, since there's no keyboard. You could use the volume toggle to cycle through letters or numbers, but this puts this option far past a 'trivial' change to the SPL code. This may be why Google didn't include the option in the beginning.

dalingrin · Apr 11, 2010

theslam08 said:
Maybe a petition to google to set forth this new option then?

Because I was thinking the same thing...our laptops can do it, because duh, if someone steals your lappy they could just wipe to get the hardware so we can put a BIOS password so even thats impossible.

Our so 'open' phones should follow suit...please google, read this. It would be a fantastic option, that way its rendered completely useless to anyone that steals it and is smart with them (aka anyone reading these forums ).

THANKS

A computer bios password only keeps people from changing bios settings. They can still format the hard drive.

tsouza · Apr 11, 2010

bubbahump said:
I've been thinking of how to 'secure' my phone's data again since I unlocked the bootloader... but this would be the way.

The feature request goes like this: Password protect the bootloader both for fastboot and getting into recovery (the option to start recovery should be password protected). A wipe is required in order to reset the password.

An additional and optional theft lock (along the lines of what the OP wants) would disable the password reset/wipe feature altogether, essentially bricking the phone if the password is unknown. Not exactly what I want (I just want my data to be safe), but should be easy enough to add both options if we have the code and can flash the SPL.

Obviously this is going nowhere if we can't flash the SPL, but there's no harm in putting this out there for Google to include in the next signed SPL.

Everyone should realize that unlocking the bootloader essentially puts all the data on your phone out there for anyone to grab without a password, given that they know a few things about fastboot/recovery. This is likely why Google forces a wipe when you originally unlock. We 'unlockers' should be given a way to get that security back.

This would be really great... an idea, if ever possible, to overcome the bricking phone by password being lost, is somehow emailing it to the registered google account... or maybe sending an sms to a known phone number that was registered before...

daveid · Apr 11, 2010

dalingrin said:
A computer bios password only keeps people from changing bios settings. They can still format the hard drive.

Actually you can set an ON-BOOT password, which will prevent it from being booted at all without the password. Unfortunately, it is not that great a security measure, since you can just reset the BIOS using the jumper on the motherboard. Also, every BIOS manufacturer leaves a backdoor in case of forgotten passwords, just do a Google search for BIOS DEFAULT PASSWORDS.

But, the main thing to remember here is that we do not have a keyboard, and very limited buttons to use. So, what are you thinking of using? A combination of buttons (similar to the quick-reboot)? Or, cycling through with the volume/trackball, kind of like on a briefcase/suitcase (argh, imagine the frustration).

The next thing would be the implementation of such an idea.

If the SPL is to be modified to be password protected, we would need to source code - which I don't think is available.

If the recovery is to be password protected, it would need to have immediate access to a rewriteable portion of the internal memory for storage/retrieval of said password (as would the SPL, but first things first - gotta have the source).

maedox · Apr 11, 2010

A simple qwerty on-screen keyboard and using the trackball to select characters would work fine. Up and down with volume keys or whatever to type in characters is not a viable option for long passwords.

It seems all this would be of no use without the possibility of flashing our own SPL, so I guess this is a bigger task than I thought at first. We all know SPL's have been hacked many times before, so I believe it can be done on the Nexus One too. But, because of the already unlocked SPL opening up flashing heaven, I am not so sure anyone is going to use any time on figuring it out.

This is what we are left with:
1. Find a way to flash a custom SPL. Piece of cake right?

2. Create an SPL with the possibility of adding password protected fastboot/recovery. Protecting boot will probably not be necessary, as it would make it impossible to trace a stolen phone.

Let me comment on the privacy issue: I am not really very concerned about the data on my phone. Of course I would not want all the pictures and videos I have shot to fall into the hands of complete strangers, but I try not to keep secret/sensitive data on my phone. It is not really very difficult to take the sdcard and put it in any other device or card reader to get all the data off of it. All the password protection in the world will never get us around some physical security. (Maybe I should make another request for encrypting the sdcard?)
What I want is to be able to somehow find the bastard(s) that took my mobile and get it back without it being wiped first. Though there is always the risk that they would not get past the unlock pattern and just throw it away right away. Let's just hope they left it powered on within network coverage.

pikipirs · Apr 12, 2010

How does Android store Gmail login credentials? Are the information cookie-like (only session information) or is there an actuall password (encrypted or not, doesn't matter) stored somewhere? If the latter than that would be very bad for the security of the Gmail account (most critical apps there are Mail and Checkout). It would probably be a good idea to change the Gmail password as soon as one starts missing his Android phone.

--
One way of increasing the odds to get a stolen phone back would be to flash a custom ROM with an embeded and preconfigured security application that installs automatically and silently after a wipe. Not perfect because a thief could just flash another ROM but there's a greater chance of a device getting wiped than not getting wiped, right?

I guess a password in recovery would add an extra percentage to those odds too.

maedox · Apr 14, 2010

So much for this request. Someone moved us to Q&A, so I guess this is doomed for now. We'll just have to keep our phone safe.

thesebastian · Oct 21, 2013

maedox said:
So much for this request. Someone moved us to Q&A, so I guess this is doomed for now. We'll just have to keep our phone safe.

Sorry for the bump. But seriously this is a must.

Any Nexus with unlocked bootloader leaves the internal memory unprotected (All your photos in DCIM folder, etc).
You just need to enter fastboot and flash a custom recovery.

DestroComocon · Oct 26, 2018

Hello

Well i have a phone that has exactly what was being mentioned in this thread and i have literally tried everything everyone is saying about flashing, etc.

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[REQ] Password protected boot/fastboot/recovery

maedox

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ayman07

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MonkySlap

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MatMew

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minogue

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persiansown

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theslam08

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bubbahump

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bubbahump

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dalingrin

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tsouza

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daveid

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maedox

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pikipirs

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maedox

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thesebastian

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DestroComocon

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