Smartphone theft is a big problem. Its scale is so great that the governments of many states and interstate entities have passed a number of laws aimed at drastically reducing the attractiveness of telephones in the eyes of thieves. So in smartphones there was a kill switch mechanism for remote blocking and destruction of data, and later the linking of the smartphone to the user's account, which should make theft meaningless. But how effective are these measures actually, and are they easy to get around?
The first law to protect user data was passed in the state of California in 2014. The law spells out a new requirement for all smartphone manufacturers wishing to sell their devices in the state. According to this requirement, from July 1, 2015, manufacturers are required to build in the so-called kill switch, which will allow the owner to remotely lock the phone or destroy data.
It should be noted here that remote data destruction has already been used in practice by such manufacturers as Apple (Find My iPhone function), BlackBerry (Protect) and Android (via Android Device Manager). In fact, the law made the use and activation of these functions mandatory. In particular, Microsoft smartphones have moved on: now all new devices sold in the United States have a Find My Phone item.
However, it quickly became clear that the thieves were completely uninterested in user data, which were destroyed by the remote command. All the thief had to do was reset the phone to factory settings as soon as possible and then configure it to work with or without a new account.
Manufacturers have tried to improve on the existing system by adding device linkage to a user account and security that would prevent such linkage from being bypassed. According to statistics, these measures worked: after their widespread introduction, theft of smartphones decreased by a very noticeable 40%. How effective these measures are and how to get around them is the topic of today's article.
Read also: Crypto-resistant androids. How data encryption works on a memory card in Android
Apple iOS
- Factory reset protection: yes, on all relatively modern devices
- Remote locking: starting with iOS 4.2 (November 2010)
- Reset Protection Date: iOS 6 (September 2012)
- Geography: worldwide
- Downgrade protection: yes, and works great
- To remove protection: unlock device (requires PIN or fingerprint), disable Find My iPhone (requires password for Apple ID)
- Current status: protection is working
iOS is a closed system, the code of which is completely controlled by Apple. In all relatively recent versions of iOS (and this is about 98% of devices in the hands of users), it is impossible to bypass the moment of device activation. IPhone activation is impossible without a "signal" from the server controlled by Apple. Correspondingly, if the device is bound to a specific account, then this binding cannot be bypassed without access to the server - at least in theory.
The remote lock feature is active by default. This function can be controlled in the iCloud menu → Find My iPhone:
What happens if a phone with Find My iPhone enabled is hoisted? Even if an attacker immediately turns off the phone and then resets it to factory settings or flashes it clean (no problem - this is done simply through iTunes), then the first thing he will see when turned on is the activation wizard. The phone will need to be activated, for which it is imperative to connect to the Internet. As soon as the phone establishes a connection with the Apple server, the activation wizard will ask for the password from the Apple ID that was used before the hardware reset.
In older versions of iOS (prior to iOS 6), it was possible to bypass activation. But where did you see the iPhone with iOS 6? Such, most likely, will never fall into the hands of an average thief, and if it does, his material value tends to zero. You will not be able to roll back to an old version of iOS either: for modern devices, vulnerable versions simply do not exist in nature, and for old devices, a very effective protection against a downgrade of the system version will work. However, even bypassing activation on vulnerable iOS versions did not allow using the device as a phone; in fact, instead of the iPhone, it turned out to be an iPod Touch.
Read also: Mokes.A cross-platform backdoor is dangerous not only for Windows and Linux, but also for OS X
What if you're just going to sell a boring phone and don't want the customer to have problems? Everything is simple here, but you have to do it before you reset the device to factory settings:
- Unlock your phone (with fingerprint sensor or password).
- Disable Find My iPhone in iCloud settings.
- Enter your Apple ID password.
Everything can be discarded. Protection is disabled. However, an attacker will not be able to disable protection. To do this, he will have to overcome two levels of protection: screen lock and Apple ID password.
Protection against reset and unauthorized activation in Apple smartphones works great all over the world. It is not possible to bypass it programmatically. Forgot your Apple ID password or deleted your account? Go to the Apple Store or call support, get ready to present a receipt or other proof of the legitimacy of ownership of the device. Since protection is activated on the server side, Apple employees can help with this proof.
There are hardware ways to bypass protection. For very old devices, it was enough to rewire a single capacitor. Modern ones require disassembly, direct access to the memory chip and manual work by the programmer to change the device identifier. After changing the identifier, the device can be activated, but there is not the slightest guarantee that it will continue to do so after the system is updated. In any case, this method of circumvention is too difficult for an ordinary thief, so they try not to mess with the iPhone - it will be possible to sell the stolen device only for spare parts.
As part of the move to Windows 10, Microsoft announced that older Lumia smartphones can also receive an update to the latest Windows 10 Mobile system. Since the update is already available for these smartphones, we will be demonstrating smartphone cleaning using Windows 10 Mobile as an example.
Freeing up memory
To get information about memory usage, in the quick access menu, tap the "Settings" item and go to the "System | Storage ". It displays the amount of used internal memory of the device and SD card (if available).
In the Save Locations section, you need to specify that new downloads, music, pictures and videos should be saved to the SD card in order to free up internal storage for applications. You can also define the SD card as the default storage for applications, however this rule is canceled when you install the first application that cannot be saved to the SD card.
To move an app to your SD card, tap This Device in the Storage menu and then tap Apps & Games. For a better overview, select Sort by Size from the drop-down menu. Then tap an app to see if it can be moved or uninstalled. For system applications that cannot be uninstalled, these options are not available.
An additional option to free up memory is to delete motion data that is saved by default. If you don't use fitness apps, their data only clogs up your device's memory. To remove them, go to the "Settings | Privacy | Move ”and then tap“ Clear History ”.
Blocking background apps
If the application is running in the background, it means that it consumes energy and processor time (as well as Internet traffic) even when you do not see it, and it is likely that this is not necessary for you.
To speed up your smartphone, you need to block all applications that do not have to constantly send and receive data, such as games.
In the menu "Settings | Privacy | Background Applications ”specify which applications can run in the background. By default, the permission is turned on for all apps, but you can change it - just tap the switch on the right.
Extending battery life
To ensure that the GPS module does not “mindlessly” consume battery resources, only those applications for which this function is really needed, for example, the “Maps” application, should access it.
The corresponding menu is located in the section "Settings | Privacy | Location". Then scroll down a bit to see a list of apps accessing the location service and set their permissions.
In order to determine which of the applications are using the most energy, go to the category "Settings | System | Saving charge ”. In the Overview menu, touching Battery Usage will display a list of apps sorted by energy usage. The most "gluttonous" applications that you no longer need are recommended to be removed.
If you want to set at what battery level your smartphone should automatically turn off background applications and dim the display to save power, select Battery Saver Options. If necessary, you can manually turn on the power saving mode using the shortcut menu at any time.
Updated by: Microsoft has released cumulative security update KB4483214 (Build 18305.1003) for Internet Explorer that fixes a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2018-8653) in Windows 10 Insider build 18305 (19H1)
Windows 10 Insider Preview build 18305.1000 (rs_prerelease) is a build of the version codenamed 19H1, which is available to members of the Windows Insider program with the priority of receiving early access updates.
This assembly belongs to the RS_PRERELEASE development branch of the next major Windows 10 update, which is expected in spring (March-April) 2019.
New in Windows 10 build 18305 (19H1)
The new build of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18305 has received a large number of new features: Windows Sandbox, support for symbols and kaomoji, Automatic Restart and Authentication (ARSO) feature for corporate users. There are also improvements to the Start menu, Windows Security app, cloud clipboard, user authentication mechanisms, Task Manager, troubleshooting function, Settings app, and Windows Explorer.
This build simplifies the default Start menu layout for new devices, new user accounts, and clean installations of Windows 10. The main differences are: a new one-column design, smaller top-level tiles, and a separate customized version for corporate and educational users. If you upgrade to a new build, you will not see the layout changes because Windows updates do not change your current view of the Start menu.
Windows Sandbox
Microsoft describes the new Windows Sandbox feature as "a new lightweight desktop environment for running applications in an isolated space." You will be able to run executable files without worrying about the consequences or work with a clean installation of Windows without even setting up a virtual machine. Any software installed in the Windows Sandbox can only affect the Sandbox and after closing the Windows Sandbox session, all files will be deleted. The feature will ship with Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise.
Windows Security
Continuing the discussion of security features, the Protection Log feature, formerly known as the Threat Log, has been updated in Windows Security. It still shows Windows Defender detections, but now also includes Windows Defender Autonomous Defender scan results and more information about malware and the available actions to take on it.
In addition, a new anti-tampering feature has been added that provides additional protection against changes to key security features, including limiting changes that are not made through the Windows Security application.
Character support
When you press Windows +. or Windows +; the pop-up menu that opens allows you not only to select ordinary emoticons, but also various symbols: punctuation, currency signs, geometric and mathematical symbols, Latin letters and Japanese kaomoji. This feature was first introduced in Build 18252, but is now available to all Windows Insiders.
Cloud buffer
The cloud clipboard (Windows key + V) received an updated, more compact interface. Since 90 percent of the buffer objects are regular text, the design of the function has been optimized for text fragments. Now the user can see more text entries at once without scrolling.
Microsoft continues to adhere to its long-term strategy of eliminating passwords altogether, and this time the company has added support for setting up phone number authorization using the appropriate account. You can now receive SMS codes to set up your account for the first time, and then use Windows Hello biometric authentication or PIN to sign in.
In addition, the Windows Hello PIN Reset Wizard now has a redesigned web interface.
Troubleshooting
In addition to the critical troubleshooter, which starts automatically but can be disabled, Windows 10 will now also offer recommendations for fixing other issues. One scenario is Windows suggests disabling a feature that sometimes causes an application or feature to crash. If the issue was fixed by an update, Windows will show you a recommendation to re-enable the setting.
The new Automatic Restart and Sign On (ARSO) feature for corporate users allows automatic authentication when performing a system update to complete the setup, and then locks the PC. This function is available in the app Settings> Accounts> Sign-in Options> Privacy and can only be activated for accounts that are connected to a cloud domain and meet certain requirements: BitLocker is enabled and did not pause during the upgrade, TPM 2.0 and SecureBoot support.
If you want the Task Manager to always open in a specific tab, you can now configure this by going to the menu Options> Set Tab as Default... Now, on startup, the tab you selected will open.
The Settings home page has a new area at the top for quick access to your account settings and login options. It also displays the current status of the system, in particular information about the availability of updates.
Windows explorer
In Build 18272, Windows Explorer got a new date format called friendly dates. Just right-click on the Date column header and turn off the Use Friendly Dates option in the context menu.
Other changes
- Returned Japanese IME that was disabled a few weeks ago. The Japanese input method has received new customization options and reliability improvements.
- A new Office application has been introduced.
- Improved Cortana voice assistant integration with Microsoft To-Do app.
A complete list of improvements, changes and known bugs is available in the official announcement on the Microsoft website.
Go to Settings> Update & Security and click Check for Updates. A computer restart is required to complete the installation.
If your smartphone starts to glitch, dull, or stops turning on altogether, one of the surest ways to restore normal performance is to reset Windows Phone settings. The factory settings of the Windows background can be restored in two ways - from the system and from the recovery mode.
What is a Windows Phone factory reset
When resetting settings to Windows background is mentioned, many think that this operation simply restores the factory settings of Windows background without affecting user data. That is, a standard ringtone is simply set, and so on. It is not!
You can also do without dumps. Users who practically do not install new applications and do not make platform updates do not face the need to reset the settings for several years. Especially if they didn't install test builds and programs from unverified sources.
Three ways to completely reset the settings
There are three main ways how to reset Windows 10 Mobile completely - that is, to perform the so-called Hard Reset. The first is to perform the following steps:
- Entering the basic settings of the smartphone;
- Search for the device information section;
- Selecting the "Reset" item.
The second method requires even less action. To implement it, go to the menu for dialing phone numbers and open the on-screen keyboard of the smartphone. After that, the command * 777 # is dialed and Reset is pressed in the window that appears on the screen.
The third method is designed to perform in Windows 10 Mobile factory reset those smartphones that have been blocked (and the user has forgotten the code) or do not turn on at all. Before starting zeroing, turn off your mobile device and hold down the volume down button and, at the same time, turn on for a few seconds. After feeling the vibration, release the pressed keys. And then hold down the volume down button until an exclamation mark appears on the display. Now you should click in a certain order:
- Volume;
- Volume;
- Nutrition;
- Volume;
After rebooting, the smartphone restores the settings to the factory settings. This may take a few minutes. And all previously installed applications and settings made will be deleted.
Partial system reset
Execute Windows 10 Mobile soft reset, without resorting to a full reset of the settings, it is possible in cases where the smartphone simply freezes and does not boot in the usual way. To complete the operation, you need:
- With the phone turned off, simultaneously hold down the volume down and power buttons. After about 10 seconds, the boot menu appears on the display;
- Do not release the button until the system restarts. After a soft reset, all platform and installed app settings remain the same.
Another relatively new way to restore the smartphone's performance without resorting to full zeroing to factory settings appeared at the end of 2016 in test versions of the platform. The App Reset feature allows you to reset the settings of one or more specific applications. At the same time, the program with which there are problems does not have to be completely reinstalled, as it should have been done before.
Reset features
While doing full reset Windows 10 Mobile some nuances should be taken into account. first of all, the possibility of losing not only settings and applications, but also information stored on the phone - photos, documents and multimedia files. To prevent this from happening, copy all data to your PC or microSD card before resetting. You can also make a backup:
- Go to the settings menu;
- Select the item for backups;
- Open one more settings;
- Start creating a backup.
The result of the operation will be not only copying files from the smartphone's memory, but also saving SMS or MMS.
Many users who are upgrading their operating systems to Windows 10 Mobile, or installing the latest cumulative updates or builds for an already installed platform, have a question about whether to perform a reset. After installing a new operating system, it is advisable to perform zeroing, which will speed up the work with applications and reduce the likelihood of problems.
Possible problems
Sometimes the performance of the smartphone may be disrupted during the update process. For example, if new software is installed on a device with an insufficiently charged battery (it is recommended to update the system only if the battery charge exceeds 50%). In this case, the reset can be performed in the only way - using the volume and power buttons. If this method does not help, you will have to contact the service.
In system Windows 10 Mobile there is a special reset protection as a password. It is needed in order not to accidentally perform the zeroing operation. If the user knows the password, this combination must be entered before resetting. If the security code is forgotten or set by the previous owner of the smartphone, hardware reset is impossible. And you will have to do a reset only with the help of "hot" keys when the smartphone is turned off.
Smartphone theft is a big problem. Its scale is so great that the governments of many states and interstate entities have adopted a number of laws aimed at drastically reducing the attractiveness of phones in the eyes of thieves. This is how the kill switch mechanism appeared in smartphones for remote blocking and destruction of data, and later the connection of the smartphone to the user's account, which should make the theft meaningless. But how effective are these measures actually, and are they easy to get around?
The first law to protect user data was passed by the state of California in 2014. The law spells out a new requirement for all smartphone manufacturers wishing to sell their devices in the state. According to this requirement, from July 1, 2015, manufacturers are required to build in the so-called kill switch, which will allow the owner to remotely lock the phone or destroy data.
It should be noted here that remote data wiping has already been used in practice by such manufacturers as Apple (Find My iPhone), BlackBerry (Protect) and Android (via Android Device Manager). In fact, the law made the use and activation of these functions mandatory. In particular, Microsoft smartphones have pulled up: now all new devices sold in the United States have a Find My Phone item.
However, it quickly became clear that the thieves were completely uninterested in user data, which were destroyed by the remote command. All the thief had to do was reset the phone to factory settings as soon as possible and then configure it to work with or without a new account.
Manufacturers have tried to improve on the existing system by adding device binding to a user account and security that would prevent such binding from being bypassed. According to statistics, these measures worked: after their widespread introduction, theft of smartphones decreased by a very noticeable 40%. How effective these measures actually are and how to get around them is the topic of today's article.
Apple iOS
- Factory reset protection: yes, on all relatively modern devices
- Remote Lock: Starting with iOS 4.2 (November 2010)
- Reset Protection Date: iOS 6 (September 2012)
- Geography: worldwide
- Downgrade protection: yes, and works great
- To remove protection: unlock device (requires PIN or fingerprint), disable Find My iPhone (requires password for Apple ID)
- Current status: protection is working
iOS is a closed system, the code of which is completely controlled by Apple. In all relatively recent versions of iOS (and this is about 98% of devices in the hands of users), it is impossible to bypass the moment of device activation. IPhone activation is impossible without a signal from the server controlled by Apple. Accordingly, if the device is tied to a specific account, then this binding cannot be bypassed without access to the server - at least in theory.
The remote lock feature is active by default. This function can be controlled in the iCloud → Find My iPhone menu:
What happens if a phone with Find My iPhone enabled gets stolen? Even if an attacker immediately turns off the phone and then resets it to the factory settings or flashes it clean (no problem - it's easy to do it through iTunes), then the first thing he sees when it is turned on is the activation wizard. The phone will need to be activated, for which it is imperative to connect to the Internet. As soon as the phone establishes a connection with the Apple server, the activation wizard will ask for the password from the Apple ID that was used before the hard reset.
In older versions of iOS (prior to iOS 6), it was possible to bypass activation. But where did you see the iPhone with iOS 6? Such, most likely, will never fall into the hands of an average thief, and if it does, its material value tends to zero. You will not be able to roll back to the old version of iOS either: for modern devices, vulnerable versions simply do not exist in nature, and for old devices, a very effective protection against downgrading of the system will work. However, even bypassing activation on vulnerable iOS versions did not allow using the device as a phone; in fact, instead of the iPhone, it turned out to be an iPod Touch.
What if you're just going to sell a boring phone and don't want the buyer to have problems? Everything is simple here, but you will have to do it before you reset the device to factory settings:
- Unlock your phone (with fingerprint sensor or password).
- Disable Find My iPhone in iCloud settings.
- Enter your Apple ID password.
Everything can be discarded. Protection is disabled. However, an attacker will not be able to disable protection. To do this, he will have to overcome two levels of protection: a screen lock and an Apple ID password.
Protection against reset and unauthorized activation in Apple smartphones works great around the world. It is not possible to bypass it programmatically. Forgot your Apple ID password or deleted your account? Go to the Apple Store or call support, get ready to show a receipt or other proof of the legitimacy of ownership of the device. Because protection is activated on the server side, Apple employees can help with this evidence.
There are hardware ways to bypass protection. For very old devices, it was enough to re-solder a single capacitor. Modern ones require disassembly, direct access to the memory chip and manual work with a programmer to change the device identifier. After changing the identifier, the device can be activated, but there is not the slightest guarantee that it will continue to do so after the system is updated. In any case, this method of circumvention is too complicated for an ordinary thief, so they try not to mess with the iPhone - it will be possible to sell the stolen device only for spare parts.
Android
- Protection against resetting to factory settings: on some devices (if Android 5.1 or higher is installed, while the device was released with factory firmware on Android 5.0 or higher) via Google Services
- Remote blocking: optionally via Android Device Manager (Dec 2013), all versions of Android 2.2 and above
- Reset Protection Date: Android 5.1 (February 2015)
- Geography: Worldwide, except China
- Protection against downgrading of the firmware version: depending on the manufacturer and model of the device; more often it doesn't work than it works
- To remove protection: unlock device, delete Google Account (no password required)
- Current status: on most devices without any problems
Let's agree: we are now talking exclusively about devices with Google Android, that is, with GMS services installed out of the box. The author is aware of the existence of Mi Protect and similar systems in Chinese smartphones and knows how to bypass them. With an unlocked bootloader, this is so simple that it is of no interest (and no, no response from the Xiaomi server is required in the case of Mi Protect).
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