Camera from lock screen

[aeropic]

it sounds like the real problem is android's security model. i'm not sure i trust an app that does allow bypassing the PIN lock as it seems like a security hole since the apps are not compartmentalized. what would happen if i got into the camera app via some hack and then opened the gallery from inside the app and then got into email via the 'send photo to...' function. it seems like a cascade of apps could be accessed w/o entering the PIN.

@Stryker,
The fact is that Android is a very strict OS in terms of security: you cannot launch an external application from another one when the device is locked. Should it be possible, it would have been much easier to directly unlock the stock camera app rather than developping camera unlock.
The way it is managed with camera unlock is quite simple:
1- a background service wakes up when the screen is switched ON
2- this service reads the accelerometer and decides to launch an activity
3- this activity is given the right (from the running service) to be shown above the PIN locked screen. (Only this activity is given the right because it belongs to the same process)
4- this activity is a fully developed camera application that does its best to emulate the stock camera functionalities ;-)

You're fully right: you've to trust (or not !) the application to which is given the right to bypass the PIN lock. Camera unlock free has indeed the right to: (I'm sure of this as I'm the author)
- be shown when the screen is locked (it does not bypass the pin as, when the app finishes, the PIN is still present
- once the camera is open, it can take picture and store the files to disk
- it allows the user to browse the DCIM/camera directory and show the pictures stored in this directory (only this directory)
moreover, for the free version only, there is an access to full internet because this app is ad supported.
I may admit this is a concern and may look like a security hole for company devices. However, the "pro" version does not have ads and therefore does not request any internet access (try it, you will see when installing that android install process does not request "internet access", nor "bluetooth", nor "SMS" ...)
So OK to say this camera app can open the gallery directory from inside but no way (with the pro version) for them to go out the phone !!!


Android is a VERY safe OS and it is not possible to cascade apps without entering the PIN...

Alain