Development Android lockdown trigger

[alpaca]

Counting on the chance that there are any android-developpers here:

I'd like to know if it is possible to lock down an android device on the trigger of an application, So you can only use the phone/device if my application says so.

I already found a few applications more geared towards employee lockdown etc (like SurelockAndroid), but I coudn't find out if they let me totally lock down the phone on my applications sayso (like an api or so).

If possible, I'd like for the user to be able to use the other applications on the device without much interference, but not being able to close my application.

Is there someone who can point me in the right direction?

[ferret141]

Why don't you prevent applications being installed instead?

[rollo]

So many ways around any lockdown you could put in place it's not really worth the hassle.

[alpaca]

Originally Posted by ferret141

Why don't you prevent applications being installed instead?

Thanks for the suggestion, but that is not really what I want to accomplish. I'd like to be able to control when the user can use the phone, not specifially what he can use it for. Do you have any ideas in that direction?

[alpaca]

Originally Posted by rollo

So many ways around any lockdown you could put in place it's not really worth the hassle.

There seem to be a few commercial apps who do that? Like surelock. Aren't they safe?

Edit: yes I know about multiple quoting. Yes, sometimes I'm a bit stupid and forget obvious things. Sorry about the double post

[rollo]

Any half comp user will remove any restrictions you put in place in under 1hr. Most andriod phones can be updated with custom roms that go through all restrictions you have put in place.

The only major issue to the user would be they would wipe the phone in the process.

Most difficult phone OS in the world to secure is Andriod. Its why big business has been stuck with blackberry for so long.

[alpaca]

Originally Posted by rollo

Any half comp user will remove any restrictions you put in place in under 1hr. Most andriod phones can be updated with custom roms that go through all restrictions you have put in place.

The only major issue to the user would be they would wipe the phone in the process.

Most difficult phone OS in the world to secure is Andriod. Its why big business has been stuck with blackberry for so long.

Yes, I see your point. But going trough the restriction still requires a user to have a half decent knowlegde of computers/android, private acces to the device and a non-locked down computer, and would totally wipe the device (as you mentioned). Say these are not really an issue, for example, if the users are children.

What would you say? Can for example one of the parental controls be controlled from an application?

[faugusztin]

Ehm, did you even bother looking what surelock does ? They are a simple homescreen replacement, which simply doesn't give you the options to go to certain areas where you could kill it off.

Then if you look at widgetlocker, even it can't manage 100% removal of the stock stuff. Your only option would be do something deep in the system, which would require root and specific knowledge of the phone on which your app is installed on.

In other words, no, there is no such thing you request as far as i know.

[alpaca]

Originally Posted by faugusztin

Ehm, did you even bother looking what surelock does ? They are a simple homescreen replacement, which simply doesn't give you the options to go to certain areas where you could kill it off.

Then if you look at widgetlocker, even it can't manage 100% removal of the stock stuff. Your only option would be do something deep in the system, which would require root and specific knowledge of the phone on which your app is installed on.

In other words, no, there is no such thing you request as far as i know.

I was aware that surelock replaced the home screen, but I had not realized that that was the only thing it did. Thank you for clarifying.

I think replacing the home screen should be enough then. Apparently you can get the official home screen application source from the sdk. I'll be looking to modify it.

[faugusztin]

Originally Posted by alpaca

I was aware that surelock replaced the home screen, but I had not realized that that was the only thing it did. Thank you for clarifying.

All you need is to start the standard launcher main intent to get out of Surelock, so yes, it is only a homescreen replacement :
http://android.stackexchange.com/que...-exit-surelock

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -c android.intent.category.HOME

[rollo]

Children are probably smarter than us when it comes to technology or they have a friend who knows how.

I know under iOS you can pass code lock stuff so that you need pin entry is there not a similar thing for android?

[alpaca]

Originally Posted by rollo

Children are probably smarter than us when it comes to technology or they have a friend who knows how.

I know under iOS you can pass code lock stuff so that you need pin entry is there not a similar thing for android?

Yeah, there are a lot of parental control applications that do work. But I did not come accros one that had an api, so I could program my application against it.

And them being smarter is probably not so bad, considering they are our future.