The Samsung brand is popular in the Russian Federation. Almost all household appliances and, of course, mobile phones are in high demand. Owners of smartphones and tablets of this brand are faced with an application such as KNOX. However, only a few know what it is intended for and how it works.
Most often they talk about him in forums dedicated to firmware on Samsung devices. KNOX installs on top of the Android platform, performing protective functions. Many buyers complain that it is not possible to obtain detailed information about this application at points of sale, and official ones. Salespeople are reluctant to talk about this topic.
Why? This question is quite interesting. And in order to answer it, you will need to delve into the intricacies of software.
KNOX - what is it?
Skilled programmers claim that all smartphone owners are not protected from hacker attacks. Their personal data is at risk. This problem becomes especially acute for users of the corporate segment. How to protect yourself? Samsung last year developed a special application, which is essentially an add-on to the operating system. Its main task is to maximize the protection of personal data stored on mobile devices. The KNOX system itself consists of several extensions developed on the Google platform. It is with their help that the user creates a protected environment. An important advantage of the application is the ability to use an isolated zone, secure boot and a special encryption method.
Resetting KNOX, i.e. resetting the counter, is not possible on all Samsung smartphones. Therefore, it is recommended to be extremely careful with the firmware, since the application may simply not recognize it as a license, and this will lead to a complete failure of the device.
Using this application, the owner is confident that the device is completely protected from spyware, network hacking, copying information by third parties.
Principle of operation
KNOX (what kind of application is described above) is an independent component of the Android operating system. Compatible with devices starting with Galaxy S3. It is not officially installed on earlier devices, but theoretically this is possible.
How does this application work? Consider the example of Skype. The user needs to log in to the program in order to access the functions. This is done using a previously registered username and password. However, if KNOX is installed on the mobile device, a second account (additional) is created. It is he who is in the protected zone. To enter it, you will need to enter a password that is different from the previous one, or use a fingerprint scanner. The account at KNOX is independent. If you delete Skype on the device, it will remain in the protected application.
Application launch
When you turn on your tablet or smartphone, Samsung KNOX starts automatically. At this point, the system starts checking the kernel for integrity. After its completion, the application performs a secure download. If there were no unauthorized interventions, the device will start in normal mode.
It is important to understand that KNOX is designed to block any actions that are not authorized by the owner.
Reviews
KNOX, reviews of which are ambiguous, has both disadvantages and advantages. The advantages of consumers include a high level of protection, user-friendly interface, ease of use, locking the device at a distance (for example, in case of loss) and remote search.
However, not everything is so rosy. Many owners of tablets and mobile phones complain about frequent application crashes. Constantly appearing on the screen messages that inform about an unlicensed program or about downloading from an unauthorized source. Disabling alerts is hard enough. In order to help the owners of such devices, the article describes some ways to solve this problem.
How to disable KNOX?
On the Web you can often meet the question: "How to disable KNOX?" What does it mean? The application itself will remain on the device, but annoying messages will no longer appear on the screen. If such a solution suits you, then there are three ways to use it:
- KNOX Disabler. It can only be used by root owners. Disabler utility is installed on the device. Working with her is very easy. All you need to do is install, enter the application and click Disabler.
- Titanium Backup. After starting the program, a list of files appears on the screen. It is necessary to select the option “Freeze” in the menu and reboot the device. If it works correctly, then you can simply delete these files.
- Android Terminal Emulator. Install the application, run and type in the command line “su pm disable com.sec.KNOX.seandroid”. In order to activate KNOX, you need to replace disable with enable.
How to remove KNOX?
For all owners who have Android 4.3 and higher installed on mobile devices, the KNOX application is suitable. Unfortunately, it sometimes causes some inconvenience, so many want to completely remove it. And they don’t know how to do this. Let's look at a few ways.
- Without root rights. Only suitable for those who have the original firmware installed. In the list of applications installed on the phone, you need to find KNOX. Enter it (run). Now you need to call the context menu in which to find the “Delete” item. At the beginning of the deletion, the device will request a backup. You must confirm by clicking "Make a copy now." After that, in some models you will need to enter a password. The process itself will take some time, after which the device will reboot and the application will be deleted.
- Uninstall via Smart Manager. Can be applied on all new Galaxy models. Enter the menu. Find the Smart Manager application and go into it. After that, open “Device Security”. In this section, find “Active Protection KNOX”. The prompt “Install My KNOX” appears on the screen. When clicking on this link, you must click on "Delete My KNOX". The process starts automatically.
To summarize
“The device is protected by KNOX.” What does it mean? Personal data, files and other information is not available to third parties. Thanks to this application, the owner of a smartphone or tablet can be sure of 100% protection against unauthorized entry into the device. Unfortunately, KNOX has some disadvantages. For this reason, the article provides information on how to disable it or completely delete it.