If you are working on 3rd edition, I don't think that the API to format the handset programmatically would be available publically. Have never used any till date.
I too want to know how to hard reset the device having Symbian OS programmatically. I am newbie to Symbian. As you are saying that the apis won't be available publically then can you help me out with some alternative way for it.
Any help is really appreciated.
Don't you think it would be just too dangerous to offer such an API?
Any ol' program can wipe my phone with it, just like that, because it feels today is a good day to do so? People would certainly think "No, thanks, if there is a public API to do this, better to avoid Symbian and buy something more secure".
Don't always look at this from *your* point of view as a programmer who would want to wipe a phone under certain conditions, look at it from the viewpoint of the user as well.
I don't really *know* whether there is such an API, but I would be very, very surprised if it was, because of the argument given: Just too bloody dangerous, overall. You might be reasonable, a lot of other people who also know how to program aren't.
Actually my perspective is like if the user loses his/her device or in case it is stolen then there should be some secure way to delete the data from the mobile handset. Mobile devices often contain sensitive data and which is of huge risk if the handset is lost or stolen.This is from user point of view only. There should be some way to perform factory/hard reset so that all the data,programs and user settings are removed from the device, in case the device is in wrong hands.
Agree that the handset contains sensitive data and also that the data needs to be secured, but that by no strech of imagination will allow me as a programmer to think that, I can delete that sensitive data of my user. As a programmer, what I would think is that
1) Why not lock the handset, (maybe remotely).
2) Why not hide the sensitive data
3) Set an alarm when an unauthorized person tries to use my user's handset.
4) Send a message to my other number and the location of my handset.
Applications like these are available and successful too. One scenario could be that you create an application which registers one or two MSISDNs as friend numbers and if you send a message like "LOCK" will lock the handset. The handset can only be used if the correct password is provided... Rest give ur imagintion a free swing, you will find some good ideas, for sure...
I appreciate your points but my application demands below both functionalities:
1. Secure Wipe
2. Lock
Passwords can always be hacked thus making the locking scenario less secure.
Also can you help me out with the apis available for locking the device remotely ?
can you provide me with some useful materials of locking and hard resetting of the device?
Since I am new to symbian I don't have much resources available.
Please help.
Security always forces you to make trade-offs. There is never such a thing as complete security.
So, just ask yourself, are phones more often in the right hands, or more often in the wrong hands? The answer is pretty clear, at least to me, and so handset security should be designed with the assumption that *normally* the device is in the hands of the rightful owner.
In this light it does *not* make sense to submit all these rightful owners to the constant danger of accidental "wiping" from some malware or program that runs amok, just for those few unlucky ones who have their handsets in the hands of others and the problem of sensitive data in the wrong hands, and no protection like PINs, passwords, hidden data or whatever.
But, of course, if you are a programmer with the aim to program an anti-theft solution with the unique feature "first and only application on the market with complete remote wiping (TM)", you have a different point of view, and you might wish for this wiping API, badly.
I would again suggest that formatting the device is never going to be the solution you will be proud of, providing to your user. Havn't ever used locking so will search and will update you...
Forum posts: 61
If you are working on 3rd edition, I don't think that the API to format the handset programmatically would be available publically. Have never used any till date.
Forum posts: 42
I too want to know how to hard reset the device having Symbian OS programmatically. I am newbie to Symbian. As you are saying that the apis won't be available publically then can you help me out with some alternative way for it.
Any help is really appreciated.
- Kripa.
NEWBIE OF SYMBIAN
Forum posts: 1157
Don't you think it would be just too dangerous to offer such an API?
Any ol' program can wipe my phone with it, just like that, because it feels today is a good day to do so? People would certainly think "No, thanks, if there is a public API to do this, better to avoid Symbian and buy something more secure".
Don't always look at this from *your* point of view as a programmer who would want to wipe a phone under certain conditions, look at it from the viewpoint of the user as well.
I don't really *know* whether there is such an API, but I would be very, very surprised if it was, because of the argument given: Just too bloody dangerous, overall. You might be reasonable, a lot of other people who also know how to program aren't.
René Brunner
Forum posts: 42
Actually my perspective is like if the user loses his/her device or in case it is stolen then there should be some secure way to delete the data from the mobile handset. Mobile devices often contain sensitive data and which is of huge risk if the handset is lost or stolen.This is from user point of view only. There should be some way to perform factory/hard reset so that all the data,programs and user settings are removed from the device, in case the device is in wrong hands.
- Kripa
NEWBIE OF SYMBIAN
Forum posts: 61
Agree that the handset contains sensitive data and also that the data needs to be secured, but that by no strech of imagination will allow me as a programmer to think that, I can delete that sensitive data of my user. As a programmer, what I would think is that
1) Why not lock the handset, (maybe remotely).
2) Why not hide the sensitive data
3) Set an alarm when an unauthorized person tries to use my user's handset.
4) Send a message to my other number and the location of my handset.
Applications like these are available and successful too. One scenario could be that you create an application which registers one or two MSISDNs as friend numbers and if you send a message like "LOCK" will lock the handset. The handset can only be used if the correct password is provided... Rest give ur imagintion a free swing, you will find some good ideas, for sure...
Cheers!!!
Forum posts: 42
I appreciate your points but my application demands below both functionalities:
1. Secure Wipe
2. Lock
Passwords can always be hacked thus making the locking scenario less secure.
Also can you help me out with the apis available for locking the device remotely ?
can you provide me with some useful materials of locking and hard resetting of the device?
Since I am new to symbian I don't have much resources available.
Please help.
NEWBIE OF SYMBIAN
Forum posts: 1157
Security always forces you to make trade-offs. There is never such a thing as complete security.
So, just ask yourself, are phones more often in the right hands, or more often in the wrong hands? The answer is pretty clear, at least to me, and so handset security should be designed with the assumption that *normally* the device is in the hands of the rightful owner.
In this light it does *not* make sense to submit all these rightful owners to the constant danger of accidental "wiping" from some malware or program that runs amok, just for those few unlucky ones who have their handsets in the hands of others and the problem of sensitive data in the wrong hands, and no protection like PINs, passwords, hidden data or whatever.
But, of course, if you are a programmer with the aim to program an anti-theft solution with the unique feature "first and only application on the market with complete remote wiping (TM)", you have a different point of view, and you might wish for this wiping API, badly.
René Brunner
Forum posts: 61
I would again suggest that formatting the device is never going to be the solution you will be proud of, providing to your user. Havn't ever used locking so will search and will update you...