Palm Security Feature (CAUTION)

[birddog]

Sitting at the pool this weekend, I thought it a good idea to lock my phone, using the Palm OS security feature, while I went swimming. It locked it and it required my password to unlock, everything looked cool. So I get to thinking -- how safe is it -- would it still be locked if I reset it.

Don't try this!!

When I reset the locked device, I expected it to come back unlocked, it did not; it came back locked. The problem is, the unlock screen was completely blank except for the line where you enter the password. I typed in the password, but there was no "ok" button, "enter" did not work; I could not get the thing unlocked!

After many many tries, pressing various keys while it came back, I was finally able to type in the password and hit "ok" before the screen went back into that blank mode. (sometimes when it rebooted, the screen was populated for about 2 seconds, with the "ok" button, before it blanked).

I thought I was going to have to do a cold reset to get it back.

[benjie]

Yep, you just gotta remember the password. TealLock 6 has a couple of unlock/password entry options that make it a bit easier to get rolling again.

Ben

[birddog]

Originally Posted by benjie

Yep, you just gotta remember the password. TealLock 6 has a couple of unlock/password entry options that make it a bit easier to get rolling again.

Ben

That wasn't the problem. I was able to type in the password. But, other than the password and the dashed white line that was below it the screen was completely blank. Normally, when the device is locked, the screen displays a message "Enter password to access this device:" and there is an "OK" button beneath the text entry field that must be pressed to gain access to the device after the password has been entered.

The problem was, except for the text entry field, the screen was completely blank. I was able to enter the (correct) password, but I could not press the "OK" button because it was not there -- I tried pressing where it was supposed to be -- no luck.

I thought that I should be able to complete the password with the "enter" button (to the right of the ".") -- that also did not work. I could not get the "security" program to act upon the correct password which was present.

It was a problem. If I had been at home, I would have simply done a cold boot and restored the phone -- but I wasn't home and I needed some of the info in the phone. (I had the combination to my locker in Splash ID -- It is still the beginning of the season, I haven't memorized it yet)

[benjie]

I have been there with the default security application not re-writing the screen; I have not seen this with TealLock 6.

You might also consider a device based backup application that backs up to the SD card - on the road hard resets are not a problem with such an application.

Ben