Google’s Android operating system will now automatically reboot phones that are locked for three consecutive days, a new security feature announced with updates to Google Play Services this Monday.
Listed under “Security & Privacy” in the update, the new feature aims to enhance the security of locked devices by restarting them after three days of inactivity. The thinking behind this change aligns with a security approach that Apple introduced for iOS last year.
>>>2200mAh MS505 Replacement Battery for SPC MS505
The purpose of the automatic reboot is to make it more difficult for individuals attempting to unlock or extract data from a phone without the user’s permission. For instance, this measure can thwart law enforcement attempts to use forensic analysis tools—such as those developed by Cellebrite or Magnet Forensics—to bypass a phone’s security.
When a phone is locked, certain data is fully encrypted and not accessible without the user’s passcode, which is referred to as the “Before First Unlock” state. Once the phone is unlocked, some data becomes decrypted and more vulnerable to extraction through brute force attacks or exploiting security flaws. This is known as the “After First Unlock” state, which forensic tools often target to access sensitive information.
>>>5900mAh Li3959T44P4hB55068 Replacement Battery for ZTE ZEBBT1
Google has not responded to inquiries about the specific motivation behind this new feature, but it’s clear that the aim is to add another layer of protection against unauthorized data extraction and hacking attempts.