topic Always asking for a PIN after reboot? in XZ Series

Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

Korben-Dallas — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 18:26:27 GMT

When I was setting up fingerprint access for my XZ (with PIN as an alternative acces method), the phone explicitly asked me if I want to require entering a PIN after each reboot. I answered "NO".

However, after each reboot the phone still forces me to enter a PIN, which means that the phone simply ignores the choice that I made when I was setting up fingerprint access.

I tried to reset fingerprint settings and re-setup it from scratch, each time explicitly stating that I do not want to require a PIN after reboot. However, the behavior is always the same: the phone alwasy requires a PIN after reboot.

So, what's going on here? Is it a firmware bug? Or is there a way to make it work?

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

Uliwooly — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 18:32:18 GMT

You don't have to reboot the phone that often, as for why the phone require that you enter the pin is to prevent other apps from bypassing this, putting your data in danger. That's not Sony but that's how Android work with fingerprints

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

LesPaulPlayer — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 18:47:57 GMT

Is your phone asking for the PIN during the startup (before it's finished and with a white screen) or after it's completed starting up?

My phone asks for a PIN to allow the startup to continue (white screen); before the startup is even finished. Is there a way to deactivate this behavior?

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

Uliwooly — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 18:54:32 GMT

Is your device encrypted?

@LesPaulPlayer wrote:
Is your phone asking for the PIN during the startup (before it's finished and with a white screen) or after it's completed starting up?
My phone asks for a PIN to allow the startup to continue (white screen); before the startup is even finished. Is there a way to deactivate this behavior?

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

Korben-Dallas — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 19:05:30 GMT

@uliwooly wrote:
You don't have to reboot the phone that often, as for why the phone require that you enter the pin is to prevent other apps from bypassing this, putting your data in danger. That's not Sony but that's how Android work with fingerprints

That's great and I'm sure that there's a reason behing this behavior.

But again, the phone explicitly offers me an option to disable this behavior. It explicitly asks me whether I want to require PIN after reboot. However, later it ignores my answer anyway. This is obviously a bug. Android should either a) honor the user's selection, or b) stop offering this choice to the user.

When you say that "that's how Android work with fingerprints", do you meat that all Android phones offer the user the option to skip PIN after reboot and then just ignore the user's selection and ask for PIN unconditionally?

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

_alexdon_ — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 19:14:11 GMT

@LesPaulPlayer When you go under settings - security and select the security method, you can choose PIN and if you select no thanks at the next page, are you still required to insert PIN at boot up? (not after the SIM PIN).

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

Uliwooly — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 19:30:07 GMT

As long as you have a pin/password/fingerprint lock, you will have to enter the pin after you restart the phone

other OEMs have the same feature

http://gadgetguideonline.com/galaxys6/samsung-galaxy-s6-guides/changes-on-using-fingerprint-to-unlock-galaxy-s6-in-android-marshmallow-update/

http://www.urtech.ca/2016/05/solved-is-there-a-way-to-disable-the-password-requirement-after-a-reboot-on-android-6-marshmallow-samsung-s6-or-s7/

http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6/help/disable-pin-start-t2954652

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

Korben-Dallas — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 19:43:02 GMT

OK, now I see that I misundertood the purpose of that feature. Thanks everyone for putting me on the right track.

I see that the option that asks me whether I want to enter PIN after reboot refers to a completely different behavior. If I say "Yes", it will ask me to enter a PIN early, even before Android starts. (It shows a bare white screen with a PIN entry field.)

If I answer "No", it will start Android without asking me for a PIN. But later, when it gets to the lock screen, it will ask for a PIN anyway.

In other words, the phone always asks for a PIN. That "ask for a PIN after reboot" option simply controls when it will happen: early (before Android starts) or late (at the lock screen).

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

_alexdon_ — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 19:44:20 GMT

@Korben-Dallas Indeed, and the option at boot up seems to be a bit more secure.

Re: Always asking for a PIN after reboot?

Lord_viridis — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 20:54:51 GMT

The "pin after reboot" option is for the loading screen pin, before Android will even boot.
The other pin is security requirement on 1st unlock after reboot.