I would love to see a feature in Secure Folder to help the users safeguard their private data in the event someone was asking the user to enter the password to gain access to the Secure Folder data.
For this, I think the best could be to "hide the fact that a secure folder even exists". And it could be done as simply as linking the user's credentials (i.e. a PIN) to the Secure Folder environment.
That way, the user could for example enter invalid credentials (i.e. a wrong PIN) and it would open a "dummy" secure folder environment, one that is empty.
This way, if the user was ever questioned about Secure Folder and what's inside, the user could enter this "dummy" PIN and show whomever is asking that "oh yes, I have secure folder but it is completely empty it was just a test, as you can see".
Considering that Secure Folder apps show in apps listings around different Settings menus on the outside Android OS (like notifications history, different phone usage statistics in device care such as battery for example, or app notifications settings in the Galaxy Wearable app), I think it might not be possible to hide the existence of Secure Folder entirely (since someone would know from those lists that it exists), unless these apps disappeared from those listings.
Now, since hiding Secure Folder entirely isn't possible. I would at least like to see a feature where the user can "set a dummy pin" and upon entering that PIN a secure folder dummy clone environment would open where installed apps are present (the same ones from the actual secure folder) but they have no data (as if they were freshly installed or the user had done storage->clear data on those apps).
In the scenario where someone questioned the user about secure folder and asking the user to enter the credentials... it would be impossible for the inquisitor to tell whether the user is entering the real PIN or the dummy one.
This could get tricky since, if the inquisitor knew about this secure folder feature, they could ask to look into the dummy PIN settings of the dummy/clone environment. And, in order to make the dummy environment look like the real one, it would have to be possible to use the clone environment as a real one full-featured, being able to install/remove apps, use/configure them, etc.
Well, I hope my goal is clear. There might be easier ways to achieve it, but this was just an idea.
Are you anticipating being held at gunpoint and having the password to your secure folder demanded? Everyone who has ever had a smart phone knows that *a* secure folder exists, so hiding the existence of one is not a good option. They should, however, allow you to rename your secure folder to something innocuous.
If someone is not holding you hostage and asking for your secure folder password, then "no" is a complete sentence.
There's an option to change the name and icon of secure folder. You can also hide it from the home screen/app drawer and access it from Settings > Security and privacy > More security settings > Secure folder
If you are really needing to hide it that badly, you can disable secure lock in the control panel. Every app like gallery will assume it does not exist You can access the folder in settings, security and privacy, more secure settings, secure folder, apps
It's a really overkill solution but that might be what you are looking for
What I'm looking for is for someone who knows Secure Folder exists ***and knows how to get to the launcher (wherever it's hidden because they know it can be hidden and how the same way you know)*** to be unable to access the secure folder data if they're coercing the device owner to open secure folder.
Yes @realaud, this could very well be a Samsung device owner being held at gunpoint or "being held hostage" but, without being so creative and without going so far with imagination, any relatives like your partner (husband/wife/etc.), siblings, friends, or also any sort of security officer, company staff, etc., could ask about it and this would be an easy way to send them away.
I'm just saying... it's a fact that the data is not secure in this scenario where someone "asks you to enter the password" and manages to make you do it. And by doing something like what I suggest it would be secured because the user could "unlock" secure folder but still not actually show any private data.
Someone could say "this is not a scenario secure folder intends to safeguard the user against", but I think it may be much easier for the user (in any situation) to respond to someone asking "oh here see, my secure folder is empty." than "no, I don't want to show you my secure folder, there's private data of mine there that I don't want you to see."
Is this for your job? How many situations are you in where you are being held at gunpoint being told to sign into Secure Folder from Samsung?? That's not disrespect, I just think that secure folder is good enough as is.
If you absolutely MUST have the most securest of data, then go into smart switch, and upload it to an external drive. It can only be accessed then if you have the drive, and sign into your full samsung account, as well as pin. Very little people would figure that is the solution. Then you could delete your data from your phone so it's only being accessible from your drive that way.
I think you might want to consider WHY is it so important to hide stuff from people. In the case of a job, then I totally could get it, however, if this is to hide stuff from a partner, it's a good time to be accountable on what is being hidden. Relationships are built off transparency and trust. I cannot think of any scenarios where I actively engaging in hiding any information from security officers, as I belive that may or may not be a crime... I'm not a lawyer though.
TLDR: Secure folder works fine. Try to pinpoint why this is so important to hide data. I get it privacy is a right, but take a moment to ask yourself if your anxiety is helping or hurting you
Paranoid much? If your spouse, family or friends are so scary that they could coerce you to give up your password to your secure stuff, you need to surround yourself with different people. If it was an employer, I would guess your recourse would depend on your terms of employment. What deep, dark secrets would you be hiding anyway? If they are that private, then I would not be securing/secreting them on my phone. It would be on an encrypted hard drive in a vault somewhere. I don't use the secure folder, so anyone asking me to unlock it would be so out of luck.
