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phone_security [2025/04/06 17:58] – moosatxphone_security [2025/04/06 18:02] (current) – [Avoid External Storage] moosatx
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 In a similar vein, any functionality you have enabled while your device is unlocked can pose a security risk. It is always best practice to reduce your attack surface by disabling these options whenever possible. Even though these features are typically designed to not pose a security risk to your data, they have been known to be exploited in the past to bypass lock screens and other security features. In a similar vein, any functionality you have enabled while your device is unlocked can pose a security risk. It is always best practice to reduce your attack surface by disabling these options whenever possible. Even though these features are typically designed to not pose a security risk to your data, they have been known to be exploited in the past to bypass lock screens and other security features.
  
 +1. Open Settings
  
 +2. Navigate to Face ID & Passcode
  
 +3. Scroll to the Allow Access When Locked section
 +
 +4. Switch all features you don't need off
 +
 +On Android, disabling functionality while the phone is locked will vary widely by manufacturer. Some like Samsung provide more flexible options in their lock screen settings, but others like Google do not provide the option to disable the quick settings panel or other similar features.
 +
 +
 +===== Avoid External Storage =====
 +
 +
 +Your Android phone might have the option to store files or photos on a microSD card, but these cards are not always subject to the same encryption standards as your phone's built-in storage. You should check whether your microSD card can be encrypted in your phone's settings, although this will prevent it from being read by other devices like your
 +
 +computer later. Additionally, even if it's encrypted, it still won't benefit from the same security protections that your phone's built-in storage provides, such as advanced brute-force protections. Ideally you should remove all external storage devices from your phone during the event, and save photos, videos, and other files to your phone's encrypted internal storage.
 +
 +Consider Your Phone's Security Patches
 +
 +Exploits against smartphones are discovered on a very regular basis, and spyware companies that work with law enforcement-like Cellebrite- abuse these exploits to crack into stolen devices. If your phone is no longer receiving regular updates from its manufacturer, you are in a very dangerous position as you may be vulnerable to the exploits used.
 +
 +In general, we consider the latest iPhone and latest Google Pixel to be the most secured against this sort of threat. You can increase your security further by using a hardened alternative operating system on your Google Pixel.
 +
 +Robust security information about phones from other manufacturers is less common. If you use a different device you may still consider the risks to be worth it, but if confiscation is of particular concern to you, or especially if your phone no longer receives security patches, you may want to consider leaving the phone at home.
  
  
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