Comment by crimsoneer
1 day ago
Android data isn't encrypted at rest (or at least not in a way Google doesn't have the key). If the uk gov has a warrant, they can ask Google to provide your Google Drive content. The whole point of this issue is Apple specifically designed ADP so they couldn't do that.
Android backups are encrypted at rest using the lockscreen PIN or passphrase: https://developer.android.com/privacy-and-security/risks/bac...
So not hugely secure for most people if they use 4-6 decimal digits, but possible to make secure if you set a longer passphrase.
I don't know what Google's going to do about this UK business.
edit: Ah it looks like they have a Titan HSM involved as well. Have to take Google's word for it, but an HSM would let you do rate limits and lockouts. If that's in place, it seems all right to me.
I wonder how hard it would be for the US government to force Google to just get the lockscreen pin off of your device or for them to just infect your device with something to capture it themselves.
Wrong. Google Android user cloud backups are E2EE by default.There is no option to opt out. Use Google's backup service and your data is encrypted at rest, in transit, and on device. aka end-to-end.
It's not just Google saying it. Google Cloud encryption is independently verified