Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Screen lock bypassing techniques
Due to the increase in user awareness and the ease of functionality, there has been an expo-
nential increase in the usage of passcode options to lock Android devices. Hence, by-
passing the device's screen lock during a forensic investigation is becoming increasingly
important. The screen lock bypass techniques discussed have their applicability based on
the situation. Note that some of these methods are used to make changes to the device.
Make sure that you test and validate all the steps listed on non-evidentiary Android
devices. The examiner must have authorization to make the required changes to the device,
document all steps taken, and be able to describe the steps taken if a courtroom testimony
is required.
Currently, there are three types of screen lock mechanisms offered by Android. Although
there are some devices which have voice lock and face lock options, we will limit our dis-
cussion to the following three options since these are most widely used on all Android
devices:
•
Pattern Lock
: The user sets a pattern or design on the phone and the same must be
drawn to unlock the device. Android was the first smartphone to introduce a pat-
tern lock.
•
PIN code
: This is the most common lock option and is found on many mobile
phones. The PIN code is a 4-digit number that needs to be entered to unlock the
device.
•
Passcode
(
alphanumeric
): This is an alphanumeric passcode. Unlike the PIN,
which takes four digits, the alphanumeric passcode takes more than just digits.
The following section details some of the techniques to bypass these Android lock mechan-
isms. Depending on the situation, these techniques might help an investigator to bypass the
screen lock.
