[Fastmarc]

I have read read that encryption is enabled once 'adoptable' is selected as it essentially becomes a part of your internal drive. Ideal if you need to reason to expand your internal capacity.
However, I've read a few places online that mention that if you do not need that and select 'Poratble', it can be encrypted. For instance in this article from Gadgetguideonline this was listed under the disadvantages of configuring SD as portable:

Security issues. Anyone holds your micro SD card access all data on it (just like your USB drive). Although you may encrypt the SD card, you will lose the flexibility to use the micro SD card on other devices. Also, performance may be affected if you encrypt the SD card.

Can someone with a Priv confirm that this option really exists? Ideally this is what I would want as I do not have the need for an expanded internal memory (for games, etc.) but would prefer to still have my SD encrypted.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Yes...

When you make it adoptable it is encrypted.
When you use it as "portable" you have an option to encrypt it (it isn't the default setting). The reason it's not the default is that it basically locks the SD card to that phone and negates in "portability" of the SD card. But the option is there if you need it.

[Ment]

That doesn't say what you think it says. What its saying that the card is encrypted when used as internal storage option under Adoptable Storage but you lose the feature of using the SD card out of the phone because the encryption ties the SD card to the phone. You can't unlock the encryption out of the phone with a Google provided utility for instance.

[Fastmarc]

Yes...

When you make it adoptable it is encrypted.
When you use it as "portable" you have an option to encrypt it (it isn't the default setting). The reason it's not the default is that it basically locks the SD card to that phone and negates in "portability" of the SD card. But the option is there if you need it.

Ah, this is what I want. I don't want it as part of my internal storage like 'Adoptable' would make it and possibly affect performance, but even a 'Portable' I still want it to be encrypted. Is this easy to find and enable?

[Fastmarc]

That doesn't say what you think it says. What its saying that the card is encrypted when used as internal storage option under Adoptable Storage but you lose the feature of using the SD card out of the phone because the encryption ties the SD card to the phone. You can't unlock the encryption out of the phone with a Google provided utility for instance.

Actually, I think you are misunderstanding it. This was listed under the 'Portable' option as one of the disadvantages as the card would not be secure by default, so anyone could read it in any device. You can check the article see it in context.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Ah, this is what I want. I don't want it as part of my internal storage like 'Adoptable' would make it and possibly affect performance, but even a 'Portable' I still want it to be encrypted. Is this easy to find and enable?

Yes it's in the security setting...

[thurask]

Portability and device-specific encryption are opposites.

If you want the card to be encrypted, usable only by your phone, then format it as internal.

[Ment]

Actually, I think you are misunderstanding it. This was listed under the 'Portable' option as one of the disadvantages as the card would not be secure by default, so anyone could read it in any device. You can check the article see it in context.

When its talking about encryption its talking about under Internal Storage option. They should have clarified the sentence thusly. "Although you may encrypt the SD card, [its only with the Internal Storage option and] you will lose the flexibility to use the micro SD card on other devices."

[Fastmarc]

See, even in this thread it's conflicting info.
My understanding from the article and Dunt has confirmed is the even as 'Portable' the SD can be encrypted. The difference between the two is that when in 'Portable' only pictures and media can be stored on the SD card, while in 'Adoptable' downloaded applications and their data can be stored on the SD as it's now considered 'internal'.
Another article that makes mention of this: Android 6

In it listed under Portable Card (better to read article for context of course): Content on the card is not encrypted by default.

[Ment]

Content on the card is not encrypted by default.

and also cannot be changed in the Portable option. You must have been horrible to grade in school.

Think about it. If it could be encrypted under Portable wouldn't there be instructions on how to decrypt it so it could be used out of the device or a tool to do so?

[Matt J]

On BB10 you could encrypt the media card. This allowed the card to function like a regular card to store media and files, but was totally unusable in another device.

For example, if you lost your phone, a person couldn't access the media card contents by removing it and putting it in another device.

However, my understanding is that there is no way to do this on Android unless you encrypt the media card as internal storage.

I don't need more internal storage, but would like the peace of mind that my card is not usable if lost.

Is there a simple way to do this on the Priv, like BB10?

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[Fastmarc]

and also cannot be changed in the Portable option. You must have been horrible to grade in school.

Think about it. If it could be encrypted under Portable wouldn't there be instructions on how to decrypt it so it could be used out of the device or a tool to do so?

Easy there, no need to try insulting. Remember, you always have the option of leaving the discussion.

If you're interested in continuing, do you have a Priv or android phone running Marshmallow to check and see if the option is there? Dunt said it is.

I will have one on Monday to see for myself, but just wanted to be clear on this in preparation.

[Ment]

Easy there, no need to try insulting. Remember, you always have the option of leaving the discussion.

If you're interested in continuing, do you have a Priv or android phone running Marshmallow to check and see if the option is there? Dunt said it is.

I will have one on Monday to see for myself, but just wanted to be clear on this in preparation.

What Dunt is talking about is switching from Portable (unencrypted and the default) to Internal which wipes the card but also encrypts it to the device. If you ignore to actually select an option it will stay the default Portable which is also the unencrypted option.

[FF22]

Hope this does not venture too far off the thread. Since I was looking for the Encryption process, I checked both Security and Storage. I see a "Smart Card" feature. Under it a series of "readers" What is this all about. I'm still on Verizon, so, therefore, Lollipop. I don't see a sd-card encryption option.

[Fastmarc]

What Dunt is talking about is switching from Portable (unencrypted and the default) to Internal which wipes the card but also encrypts it to the device. If you ignore to actually select an option it will stay the default Portable which is also the unencrypted option.

Ok, thanks. Appreciate the input.

[anon(9607753)]

Portability and device-specific encryption are opposites.

If you want the card to be encrypted, usable only by your phone, then format it as internal.

What you say is correct, but you also have to choose "migrate data" to force the encrypted SD card to be seen as independent memory by the system, which I believe is the issue the OP was referring to. It's not exactly self-evident.

Android's use of "format as internal" and "portable" as ways to distinguish between encrypted and unencrypted (two already clear descriptors, in my opinion) is certainly confusing, at best. Why should the SD card become "system memory" by default if encrypted and become essentially invisible to all uses except the installation of new apps? It's almost as if by choosing to encrypt, you are (unwittingly) swapping your internal memory with your SD card.

Posted via BlackBerry Priv STV100-1

[gizmo21]

For those that have the opinion an "Portable SD-Card" can be encrypted afterwards by android itself and still not beeing an "adopted as internal", can you point us to the option in the prefs menu where I can do that encryption?


I think the only way to get encryption on a "Portable SD-Card" is to use container based (truecrypt, veracrypt) encryption apps like https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ks.eds.android to have it encrypted.

The advantage of this method to internal (or even if possible "encrypted portable") would be that the data could be read from a PC if you have veracrypt installed there and know the password.

The disadvantage is the more inconvinient handling with 3rd party app and having to trust the app dev more that google or bb.

[FF22]

My method of dealing with encryption is to have the phone password protected which protects internal memory and then keeping routine stuff on the sd=card. Routine stuff is music, videos, photos, docs, pdf manuals, etc - stuff that will not compromise my privacy or security (banking, etc). So if the phone were lost, the sd-card would provide the thief or finder my non-critical info. Now, if Internal Memory is not sufficient for private stuff, then I guess you need to protect the card.

[Fastmarc]

My method of dealing with encryption is to have the phone password protected which protects internal memory and then keeping routine stuff on the sd=card. Routine stuff is music, videos, photos, docs, pdf manuals, etc - stuff that will not compromise my privacy or security (banking, etc). So if the phone were lost, the sd-card would provide the thief or finder my non-critical info. Now, if Internal Memory is not sufficient for private stuff, then I guess you need to protect the card.

This is what I'll likely do as well. On my Classic my SD is encrypted, but I think the 32 gig encrypted internal should be sufficient to hold any critical data I may have plus the apps I may obtain since I'm not really into games, etc.

[FF22]

This is what I'll likely do as well. On my Classic my SD is encrypted, but I think the 32 gig encrypted internal should be sufficient to hold any critical data I may have plus the apps I may obtain since I'm not really into games, etc.

Just remember to decode on the Classic if you want to use the card and its data on the Priv.

[Fastmarc]

Just remember to decode on the Classic if you want to use the card and its data on the Priv.

Thanks for the reminder. I bought a new one for the Priv and going to leave the Classic intact.

[muecke63]

Hey guys!
What i do not really get from this thread is the answer of this question:
Assume, i have encrypted my SD-card in portable mode and my priv gets broken. If i then buy an new priv and put the sd-card into it,
can the card then be read if i use the same password for my phone as on the also device?
Muecke

[FF22]

Hey guys!
What i do not really get from this thread is the answer of this question:
Assume, i have encrypted my SD-card in portable mode and my priv gets broken. If i then buy an new priv and put the sd-card into it,
can the card then be read if i use the same password for my phone as on the also device?
Muecke

Sorry, I don't have a definitive answer. I do know that on BB10, if the card were encrypted and then the exact same device was fully wiped, you could NOT read the card again. The "key" was stored as part of the setup routine and wiping it, wiped that key. The data would remain encrypted/lost. Same if you moved it to a new phone with same bbid and password setups. I would guess that it works the same way but do not know.

What I personally do, is keep private data like bank spreadsheets, some medical docs, etc stored in INTERNAL memory. So with no password, that data would be wiped if someone found/stole the phone. The sd-card has non-critical data like music and vacation photos and pdf manuals and workout spreadsheet. I would not like to lose that stuff but it does not really matter if it falls into the wrong hands. The sd-card data is already backed up to my computer as is the critical stuff from Internal memory.