How to stop random (NOT bootup) "For security purposes enter your password"?

[BJB1]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

@BJB1 and @debdroid1a... I guess I’m not sure I’m understanding exactly how this issue occurs for you and it not being caused from a reboot so if I get the chance I’ll try rereading the thread to understand the conditions that it’s happening.

But next time it happens, even if it’s not the same message you get when a phone reboots, if you could just humor me and check the uptime just to make sure it’s not a reboot and hasn’t been reset.

I guess I’m reading pool_sharks comments and his issue sounds like his phones rebooting and can’t get the idea out of my head.

I verified my uptime goes past the time, exceeds, whatever the last time I was forced to put in a password intead of using biometrics.

No question that this happens without a reboot.

And again, the message is absolutely different. One says it is due to a reboot, the other says it is for your security or some such (the issue we are discussing here).

BJB1

 

[j_hansen]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I haven't noticed any reboots but since the June or maybe it was the July security update I more frequently/randomly get prompted to put in pin code when unlocking phone, it used to be only on Saturday morning as I have it set to reboot once a week automatically.
I actually thought it was some king of freak/weird extra security feature from Samsung

 

[BJB1]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

Here is the exact message you get ONLY when this happens, NOT upon bootup. It just happened, and my uptime is still days.


"For your security, user your password to unlock your phone. You can use biometrics next time".

BJB1

 

[debdroid1a]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

Here is the exact message you get ONLY when this happens, NOT upon bootup. It just happened, and my uptime is still days.


"For your security, user your password to unlock your phone. You can use biometrics next time".

BJB1

Same here. Just had to enter my password.

 

[FeinP1118]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I get this occasionally. But I'm not tearing my hair out over it.

 

[debdroid1a]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I got a Note 9 four days ago and it just asked me this as well.

 

[the_elevatorguy]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I'll be the first to post pictures:

Edit: Added note9 retry picture too.

 

[BJB1]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I'll be the first to post pictures:

Nice job!

I continue to get this. A friend of mine with a note8 uses fingerprint security. They mis-typed their password twice.....checked their password manager....and their phone ended up LOCKED! Had to reset everything up.

This "feature" just stinks.
I will probably just turn off biometrics soon and stop using for login and also stop using google pay. Does this make punt convenient?

And worse than all this....I am convinced if you mis-apply your fingerprint once or twice, it is next to impossible to use your fingerprint to unlock the phone after that without usin GB your password. It is like they ramp up the sensitivity and I dont even try anymore.

I recently had this ask for password thing while in a snowstorm and having to type in upper case, lowercase, characters etc. Just insane.

Can someone confirm that if you turn off fingerprint security and just use a pattern this does not happen?

BJB1

 

[tomoznow]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

This "feature" just stinks.
I will probably just turn off biometrics soon...

Signed up to agree and add to the complaints about this stupid "feature".

Whoever decided to shove such a stupid feature down our throats, I would like to meet them personally and tell them what I think of their brain-dead idea.

I have my new Android phone set up nicely, and this is the worst thing about the phone. I might have used my phone only 10 minutes ago, and then 10 minutes later I wake it with fingerprint, only to be prompted for my pin. WTF?

The crazy thing is we can choose to have no pin or anything, just swipe to unlock. And we're *allowed* to do that, but we're not allowed to have biometrics on its own without pin?

That message makes my blood boil... "use biometrics next time". Screw You Google. It's my phone, and I want to use biometrics NOW, not "next time". This is important when I'm on a crowded train and need access quickly to check timetable etc, you have ruined the UX with this idiotic feature.

Sometimes you have to wonder about the intelligence level of the software designers behind this OS.

 

[km04]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I get this often as well. No real rhyme or reason to it.

 

[BJB1]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I now also continue to get the erratic fingerprint reading results where if you get a bad scan the first and second time, no matter how careful you are it doesn't like to read successfully the subsequent time.

I have taken to use the security proximity unlock with my watch which helps.

With all the little nits about android that get picked up and discussed on multiple tips sites, I always found it strange this item is never discussed in such articles, just in forums.
BJB1

 

[Lama74]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

Has there been any solution to this other than turn off security altogether? I am getting the same annoying pop-up once randomly. No reboot. No timeout. My phone is an LG G6. I do have a Samsung watch. The message is slightly different, assume modified by LG: ""For added security, please enter your password".

I always found it strange this item is never discussed in such articles, just in forums.
BJB1

I find that strange too. Also the fact that many commenters here are talking around the issue and don't seem to know what BJB1 is describing. That in itself could be a clue.

Considering possibility phone is hacked with a sophisticated password-phishing scam? Unlikely, but somewhat possible. I will on purpose enter the wrong password next time this comes up, to test that theory. A hack wouldn't know the difference.

 

[BJB1]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

Has there been any solution to this other than turn off security altogether? I am getting the same annoying pop-up once randomly. No reboot. No timeout. My phone is an LG G6. I do have a Samsung watch. The message is slightly different, assume modified by LG: ""For added security, please enter your password".


I find that strange too. Also the fact that many commenters here are talking around the issue and don't seem to know what BJB1 is describing. That in itself could be a clue.

Considering possibility phone is hacked with a sophisticated password-phishing scam? Unlikely, but somewhat possible. I will on purpose enter the wrong password next time this comes up, to test that theory. A hack wouldn't know the difference.

Lama74,

I hear you but I highly recommend that you do not purposely enter the wrong password. An acquaintance had this prompt, forgot their password and entered the wrong password multiple times. Locked out and lost data.

This is not a hack....it is an android "feature" and everyone enters their password like drones. Or they don't use biometrics. Perhaps only a few of us are annoyed entering their multiple digit and letter password...not just a cute 4 digit unlock code....while in the pouring rain, or a blizzard. And don't mess up too many times or you get locked out. I might add even if you have your Samsung watch with wifi trusted device enabled....you get this.

BJB1

 

[Mike Dee]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I have seen posts and arguments about why this isn't a good idea but not a fix.

My Note 8 has been doing this at the most innoportune times.

And I use fingerprint unlock....I am okay with putting it in at reboot. But if I use fingerprint unlock, and someone steals my fingerprint (yeah I know it's possible but not in my top 10 worries), in 2 weeks or so they will lose access to my phone. So they could have pulled any data they want anyway. I don't see the huge value and willing to just go back to fingerprint access and password at reboot only.

Can this be done without rooting?
BJB1

On occasion I get a request for a pin but not password

 

[B. Diddy]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

The reason for the phone asking for your password intermittently is that other unlock methods (like pattern, fingerprint, iris, etc.) are inherently less secure. Patterns run the risk of being relatively easily deduced from looking at the oil patterns on the screen. Fingerprint sensors and iris scanners can be fairly easily fooled by someone who knows what they're doing. A PIN or alphanumeric password is much harder to crack (assuming it's not something easily guessed, like your birthday or the name of your cat). So having the user enter their backup PIN (or password) is an extra layer of security, in case that other screen lock method was breached.

 

[BJB1]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

The reason for the phone asking for your password intermittently is that other unlock methods (like pattern, fingerprint, iris, etc.) are inherently less secure. Patterns run the risk of being relatively easily deduced from looking at the oil patterns on the screen. Fingerprint sensors and iris scanners can be fairly easily fooled by someone who knows what they're doing. A PIN or alphanumeric password is much harder to crack (assuming it's not something easily guessed, like your birthday or the name of your cat). So having the user enter their backup PIN (or password) is an extra layer of security, in case that other screen lock method was breached.

Great summary. Known and understood. However if someone pays near $1K for a phone, I think they should be able to decide if the risk of someone going secret agent on a fingerprint spoof, is worth the inconvenience of putting in a password and WE should be able to choose whether to leave this "feature" on or not. There are websites holding customer private or banking information that give the customer a choice of whether to use 2 factor authentication.
Not sure why an android phone should be different.

Not an arguement, just an opinion. Some people believe every login on every device or website should be 2 factor. Most believe that is overkill and too inconvenient. I submit that should be the case with an android phone.

BJB1

 

[4WoofGrrrr]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I find this most annoying (and dangerous) when I am driving.

I need to unlock the phone, and instead of reaching around the back, finding the sensor by touch, and touching it, they want me to TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD so I can enter a pin???

That's not just annoying, it's incredibly unsafe.

It seems no one has found a workaround.

My only option seems to be to keep the phone plugged in and use the (developer) setting to keep the phone unlocked when plugged in

 

[B. Diddy]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

If the phone is connected via Bluetooth to the car, have you already tried making the car a Trusted Device using Smart Lock?

 

[BJB1]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I find this most annoying (and dangerous) when I am driving.

I need to unlock the phone, and instead of reaching around the back, finding the sensor by touch, and touching it, they want me to TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD so I can enter a pin???

That's not just annoying, it's incredibly unsafe.

It seems no one has found a workaround.

My only option seems to be to keep the phone plugged in and use the (developer) setting to keep the phone unlocked when plugged in

Yup, still no solution. I too have had it popup at the worst time. As mentioned here I use trusted device in car and with watch too. But this does NOT make this stop happening! You can be right next to a trusted device and when it wants to, it will ask for a password.

I've had it on ski slopes, in car, pouring rain, you name it.


BJB1

 

[dbptwg]

re: How to stop random (NOT bootup) "for security purposes enter your password"

I find this most annoying (and dangerous) when I am driving.

I need to unlock the phone, and instead of reaching around the back, finding the sensor by touch, and touching it, they want me to TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD so I can enter a pin???

That's not just annoying, it's incredibly unsafe.

It seems no one has found a workaround.

My only option seems to be to keep the phone plugged in and use the (developer) setting to keep the phone unlocked when plugged in

I suggest you not to use your phone while driving. This is a problem you're creating for yourself.

As far as the password/print, yeah it makes sense from a security standpoint, but not when you allow your users to disable security altogether. If we add a layer of security beyond the minimum we are forced to add a second layer. That is half the issue.

The other half is that it should be up to the $1k device owner how secure it is, evidenced again by the fact that no security is possible, but it is not entirely.

I'm disabled and can't leave my house. Nobody at home will be stealing my fingertips or fingerprints, and I won't be in a place that others would be able to. I would simply like to use my fingerprint to keep the kids out of my phone with little effort. Why is this too much to ask? Why is this now being forced on us? You're pushing your users to disable security entirely.

Galaxy S7 here, this started alongside all of you, (over a year ago) and I'm incredibly sick of it.