Holey lock screen on the Sony Xperia Z

The lock screen of the Sony Xperia Z offers no protection against unwanted access. Without knowing the PIN or password, an attacker can permanently unlock the device and access to the data stored on them. As at Samsung Galaxy S3 as well as grade 2 and the iPhone is attacked via the emergency call function. Sony not once nimble fingers and timing are needed.

We could easily understand the gap in the Newsroom at a Xperia Z and a Xperia Android 4.1.2 T pinned already on video. Presumably, the gap concerns other Sony Xperia with current Android. As with most smartphones, an emergency can be used off even when the device. The Sony smartphones but accept the dial pad not only well-known emergency numbers, but also telephone codes.

Gives the user the string * #* #7378423#*# *, he enters an extensive test menu, the check is the function of the installed hardware. He starts the NFC test, in the submenu "Service test" a tap of the home button is enough to get directly to the home screen. This worked well with some other tests, but not with any reliable.

From now on, the device can be used by the attacker in full. Even when waking from sleep, the Smartphone no longer asks for the password of the device. Pressing the home button again, the lock screen appears again. You must not once again avoid it: to put the Xperia Z just to sleep and it wakes up again, you have again access. The haunting can stop by rebooting or closing the service menu via the Taskmanger.

The attacker would like to change the password for the lock screen he must enter however before it. Lock out the rightful owner cannot be so. Internal memory encryption possible on both devices helps only against unauthorized access when the phone is switched off. When waking up from standby, the device again asks for the key.

The method we not worked with older versions of software from Sony. At a Xperia T and Xperia ray with Android 4.0.4, you can while calling the test menu and start the same functionality, we were not on the home screen, however. Yet is does not rule out that some of the tests could have similar interactions. Smartphones secured only by the pattern to unlock but sometimes even without gap. (asp)