Member-only story
Device Encrypted Storage And Direct Boot Mode In Android
In Android, when a phone is powered on but the user has not unlocked the device yet, most user applications and user data are not accessible.
Prior to Android 7, the system was designed to be inactive during this state; no user action can take place, only system services could be launched normally. Fortunately, from Android 7, to respond to the demand of some particular functionalities like alarms or reminders, Google has introduced Direct Boot mode that enables a quick access to these components.
The purpose of Direct Boot mode is to get access to data when device is not unlocked.
But why is data not accessible when device is in this state?
1. Data encryption — FDE and FBE.
Android is actually one of the most-used Operating Systems. Besides potential vulnerabilities in software and hardware, Android also faces the risk of physical device loss.
Protecting user data even when the device is out of user’s control is one of the aims of Google Android Team.
