Emergency disable biometric on Android?
from Teppichbrand@feddit.org to privacy@lemmy.ml on 26 Feb 08:30
https://feddit.org/post/8461701
from Teppichbrand@feddit.org to privacy@lemmy.ml on 26 Feb 08:30
https://feddit.org/post/8461701
I use LineageOS with MicroG on my phone. If I quickly press the Power On/Off-button repeatedly it plays an alarm and dials a call for help. This is probably in all android versions, I don’t know.
I know biometric unlocking is dangerous, because it can be forced. But it’s incredible convenient 99,99% of the time. Wouldn’t it be rather easy to implement an option to switch off biometric unlocking when doing the emergency clicking? Or is there already another option? I’m sure I’m not the first genius to think about it.
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Well if you can stay pressed on the power button it should restart the device and it will be encrypted, with no biometric unlocking
There is private lock on fdroid, of you shake your phone biometrics get disabled and three phone locks. It’s meant as protection from someone grabbing your phone and running away with it but works fine for other emergencies as well.
Interesting, but it seems like even on the lowest sensitivity, it still gets accidentally triggered a lot.
There is also an alternate app called paranoids pal on fdroid, that’s new and maintained, it did not work reliable on my phone, maybe it works better for you.
And I’ve used private lock for years and still sometimes lock the phone accidentally, but for me the inconvenience is acceptable because of the security gained.
I tried using it. Putting my phone down on any surface would trigger it. Made my biometrics completely useless. Too sensitive on my device, even on the lowest settings :(
You didn’t even mention what phone lol
On my non-modified Samsung phone, I press and hold the power button and tap the “Lockdown” option.
I had a Motorola (Android) Phone before and that was also the same.
On Samsung, the “Lockdown” button is disabled by default, you have to go into settings to enable the button. Idk how LineageOS works, maybe dig around in setting and see if there’s a “Lockdown” option you haven’t enabled?
afaik “lockdown mode” shortcut is a basic feature in android. it quickly disables fingerprint/face/etc unlock, temporarily.
it should still be present in some form in most versions of android since several years ago.
if you can’t find it in your power button long press menu, check the Lineage documentation.
btw powering off the device should also force password/pin unlock on the next boot.
Not temporarily, it stays that way until next unlock.
You can also just reset your phone real quick. The first login requires pin / password.