Samsung Secure Folder Has Vulnerability
A serious vulnerability in the Secure Folder from Samsung endangers the privacy of Galaxy users. Despite encryption, apps and photos can be viewed under certain circumstances.
Discovered security gap
Attention Samsung users: The supposedly safe data safe Secure Folder (in German Safe Folder) on Galaxy smartphones has a serious vulnerability. As recently known, unauthorized persons can access sensitive data under certain circumstances – even if the folder is encrypted. The security gap affects both stored apps as well as photos and videos in the safe folder. Usually this area should be strictly isolated and only accessible with biometric authentication or PIN input.
But now it turns out: the protective measures can be avoided relatively easily. How Android Authority Citing a user of Reddit reports, the cause of the problem lies in the technical implementation of the safe folder. Samsung has implemented this as a work profile – a function that is actually intended for the separation of private and business data. The safe folder was introduced in 2016 with the Galaxy S7 series and offer a secure area for sensitive data.
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As a result, the Android system treats the safe folder like a normal work profile. However, apps within such a profile have access to data from the main profile by default – and thus also to the supposedly protected area. Specifically, this means that if an attacker has physical access to the unlocked smartphone, it can install apps such as “Shelter” with little effort. These create a separate work profile from which the content of the safe folder can be viewed. After all, there are some restrictions: direct access to files in the safe folder is still denied.
Only photos and videos can be viewed via the Android media picker. In addition, attackers have to get the device in the hands unlocked. Another protective measure is manual encryption of the safe folder. However, this must be activated again every time you leave the protected area. In the encrypted state, the data is actually protected against unauthorized access. Samsung has now confirmed the security gap.
There are obviously no specific plans for a security update so far. What is the Secure Folder? The safe folder is a protected area on Samsung devices that works like a second smartphone. Here you can safely store private apps, photos, documents and other files. You can choose between fingerprint, pin, pattern or password. How do I set up the safe folder? Open the settings on your Samsung device and look for “safe folder”.
After the first start, you have to register with your Samsung account and set a unlocked method. After the setup, the safe folder appears as a separate app on your start screen. You can also place the icon in the quick access bar or in the app drawer. What data can I protect? In the safe folder you can store practically all types of data: apps, photos, videos, documents, contacts and even complete messaging apps such as WhatsApp with separate accounts.
Use account, For example, you have two different WhatsApp installations on one device. Is the safe folder really safe? The safe folder is based on the Samsung Knox platform that fulfills military security standards. The data is protected with AES-256-bit encryption and are separated from the rest of the system. If the false trials are too, the folder is automatically deleted.
Can I secure the safe folder? Yes, you can secure the entire content in the Samsung Cloud or locally. The backup function can be found in the settings of the secure folder under “Backup and Restoring”. Series: The backup remains encrypted and can only be restored with your access data. So keep them safely. Can you hide the safe folder? In the Settings of the Safe Folder, you can hide the ICON from the start screen and app drawer.
The access is then only via the settings app. You can also determine that the safe folder automatically blocks when the display runs out or that you are inactive for a certain time. Battery and memory consumption? The safe folder hardly uses a battery in the idle state, since it only becomes active when accessed.
The memory consumption depends on the stored data, but the Knox platform runs permanently in the background, which can have a minimal impact on system performance. However, this is hardly noticeable in normal use. At factory reset: what happens? In the case of a factory reset, all data in the secure folder is irrevocably deleted if no backup has been created. This also applies to accidental resets or theft. Tip: Activate the automatic backup function in the Samsung Cloud to protect your data. After a reset, you can then restore the safe folder with your Samsung account.
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