Android - can answer call when phone is locked?

[Peregrine]

If you steal a phone... how are you going to get the phone number to call it??
All the creativity in the world doesn't solve that issue.

[macroy]

Originally Posted by SUPbud

Peregrine, robertpasa ~


you're right that you cant make a call, if the locked phone in your hand is the limit of your creativity. But lemme give you a scenario:


- two phones. One is locked, and lets say was stolen. The second phone is one I control/already have.
- use the second phone to call the first. This lifts the screenlock to answer the call. When the call is answered, insert a USB cable to create an ADB session.



boom! gotcha. I can make a ADB session, even against a Android device's will, because again - this is a laboratory environment with unlimted time.



For your ordinary scenario of a curious spouse or co-worker trynna sneak a peek at your phone, you are as Safe as google devs are Smart.

If you have access to a phone and know what you are doing, you don't need to "call it" to break into it. There are various ways to defeat the screen lock app.

While this pertains more to networked systems - the notion that "once you have physical access, all bets are off" still applies to phones as well. Most of these systems are fairly rudimentary and can be defeated. The question is whether or not it can be done without destroying the data or doing it before the owner issues a wipe command.

[usayit]

Originally Posted by SUPbud

Peregrine, robertpasa ~


you're right that you cant make a call, if the locked phone in your hand is the limit of your creativity. But lemme give you a scenario:


- two phones. One is locked, and lets say was stolen. The second phone is one I control/already have.
- use the second phone to call the first. This lifts the screenlock to answer the call. When the call is answered, insert a USB cable to create an ADB session.



boom! gotcha. I can make a ADB session, even against a Android device's will, because again - this is a laboratory environment with unlimted time.



For your ordinary scenario of a curious spouse or co-worker trynna sneak a peek at your phone, you are as Safe as google devs are Smart.

ADB is disabled on most Android phones unless the owner specifically enabled it. But I agree.. once you have physical access to any device, with time it will be broken into. All these measures are simply deterrents that are effective for the majority of people who will not invest time, effort, or knowledge to get it done.