Our phones are our most personal space, but we use them in the least private places. On the bus, in the elevator, and wherever we’re waiting in line, our digital laundry gets aired in plain view. And as phones become more tailored to our routines and preferences, concerns about privacy are only growing.

That’s why Samsung will soon unveil a new layer of privacy to shield your phone from shoulder surfing wherever you go. You’ll have the space to check your messages or enter a password on public transit without thinking twice about who might be watching.

Flexible Protection Built Over Years

Not everyone needs the same level of privacy. This new layer gives you the choice to decide what works best for you. You can customize it to raise your guard with specific apps, or when entering access details for more private areas of your phone. With multiple settings for adjusting visibility, you can limit what others can see based on the level of privacy protection you need.

You can also choose to protect specific parts of your experience, such as notification pop-ups. It’s a tailored approach that you can fine-tune or switch off entirely, rather than a blanket one.

It took over five years of engineering, testing and refining to get here. We studied how people use their phones, what they consider private, and how security should feel in everyday life. The result is a fusion of hardware and software expertly calibrated to protect you without getting in your way.

A New Standard for Mobile Privacy

This is the latest in a series of Galaxy innovations designed to keep you safe. There is no privacy without strong security. For more than a decade, Samsung Knox has established layers of protection for Galaxy devices, from dedicated security hardware like Knox Vault to ecosystem defenses such as Knox Matrix. This latest safeguard builds on that commitment to security, introducing privacy at a pixel level.

This is privacy you can see and security you can feel — and it’s coming to Galaxy very soon.

Intuitive, context-aware Galaxy AI features bring these personalized experiences to life, transforming your smartphone from a tool to a smart companion that anticipates your needs and offers suggestions designed to make your life more productive, creative and connected.

To deliver a fully personalized experience, your device naturally needs access to certain data. This is what allows AI to understand you and tailor its responses in ways that are genuinely helpful and suited to your lifestyle. To ensure your personal data is safeguarded in this era of AI, we’re constantly innovating data protection on your device, so that nothing falls into the wrong hands.

Personalization Made Possible with the Personal Data Engine

Samsung Electronics’ Personal Data Engine (PDE)^[1] is a key component of safely delivering these highly personal experiences. First introduced with the Galaxy S25 series, the PDE is the powerhouse behind some of Galaxy’s most life-changing AI experiences yet. It works silently behind the scenes to learn from your habits and preferences, resulting in a truly personalized, unique experience.

Whether it’s Now Brief^[2] guiding you through your day with curated updates or simply finding that one perfect photo in your Gallery with natural language input, Galaxy AI makes every AI-powered action feel seamless. And because the PDE safely processes your data on-device, you can enjoy all the benefits of deeply customized AI — without compromising privacy.

Powerful Advancements with Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection

To further strengthen the security of Galaxy AI experiences, Samsung developed Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP)^[3] — a powerful new layer of on-device security that protects your most sensitive data without interrupting your experience. First developed for the PDE, KEEP now also safeguards other Galaxy AI features like Smart Suggestions, Now Brief, Samsung Moments and more, running quietly in the background to ensure that each supported app is kept secure.

Think of your phone like a house. Each app has its own room — separate, but all under the same roof. Then there’s ^[4] which works like a fully detached guesthouse with its own key, set apart from the main home. It’s great for keeping certain things extra private, especially when you want complete isolation from the rest of your device. But as AI features like the PDE start handling more sensitive tasks in real time, there’s a growing need for security that’s just as strong, yet more connected to your everyday experience.

That’s where KEEP comes in. Imagine turning part of the house into a private suite — still under the same roof, but with its own secure entrance that only you can use. It’s more private than a regular room, but not completely separate like the guesthouse. KEEP works the same way: it creates a secure, dedicated space for individual apps — like the PDE — so it can safely handle your data without sending it anywhere or getting in the way of how you use your phone.

As our mobile experiences become more intelligent, KEEP ensures your most personal data stays safe by design. Together with tools like Secure Folder, it reinforces Samsung’s multi-layered approach to data protection — giving both users and services the right type of security for different privacy needs.

With Galaxy AI becoming more personal, features like the Personal Data Engine and Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection are setting a new standard for mobile intelligence — where personalization and privacy go hand in hand. As these experiences grow smarter and more attuned to your needs, you can rest assured that your most sensitive information will stay safe on your device, exactly where it belongs.

^[1] The Personal Data Engine functions when the Personal Data Intelligence menu is on. Analyzed data will be deleted once the Personal Data Intelligence menu is turned off.

^[2] Now Brief feature requires a Samsung Account login. Service availability may vary by country, language, device model and apps. Some features may require a network connection.

^[3] Available on Galaxy smartphones and tablets with One UI 8 or later.

^[4] Secure Folder offers users a separate and protected area of their phone or tablet to store sensitive apps and data. It allows users to set up separate profiles which can duplicate your apps. Users can customize the Secure Folder app and set up their own lock type, including PIN, pattern, password and fingerprint. For enhanced security, Secure Folder users are also provided with an option to hide and encrypt the Secure Folder, which helps keep data safe from advanced cybersecurity threats. While hidden, the apps will stop working to keep your data safe. Once the Secure Folder is opened again, the encryption will be deactivated, and the apps will resume normal operation.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced a new set of security and privacy updates rolling out with its upcoming Samsung Galaxy smartphones with One UI 8. These updates reinforce Samsung’s commitment to delivering powerful, trusted mobile technology in a rapidly evolving digital world by introducing new protections for on-device AI, expanding cross-device threat detection and enhancing network security with quantum-resistant encryption.

Next-Generation Mobile Security for AI Personalization

Samsung is introducing,^[1] a new architecture designed to safeguard the next generation of personalized, AI-powered features, as its latest innovation in mobile security. KEEP creates encrypted, app-specific storage environments within the device’s secure storage area, ensuring that each app can access only its own sensitive information and nothing more.

Supporting Galaxy’s Personal Data Engine (PDE),^[2] KEEP helps secure a user’s deeply personal insights – such as routines and preferences – that enable features like Now Brief and Smart Gallery search. These insights stay entirely on-device, protected by KEEP and further secured by Knox Vault, Samsung’s tamper-resistant hardware security environment. The result is a seamless foundation for Galaxy AI that delivers personalized intelligence while keeping data tightly contained and under the user’s control.

KEEP’s system-level structure allows it to scale across Galaxy AI innovations. In addition to PDE, it now protects Now Brief, Smart Suggestions and other on-device features that rely on user-specific inputs – enabling more advanced AI experiences without compromising privacy. With KEEP, Samsung is redefining how mobile devices safeguard data in the background to elevate privacy from a setting to an embedded design principle.

Smarter, More Connected Threat Response with Knox Matrix

As AI becomes more integrated across the ecosystem, Samsung is advancing protections that offer not just stronger security, but greater transparency and control for users, with Knox Matrix leading the way. Through One UI 8, Samsung is evolving Knox Matrix to deliver more proactive and user-friendly protection for connected Galaxy devices. When a device is flagged for serious risk – such as system manipulation or identity forgery – it is designed to automatically sign out of the Samsung Account, cutting off access to cloud-connected services to prevent threats from spreading.^[3]

Users are notified across their connected Galaxy devices and guided to the ‘Security status of your devices’ page, where they can review the issue and take action. Even devices without the latest security status updates trigger a yellow-level warning, helping users respond before vulnerabilities grow.

Together, these updates make Samsung Galaxy’s ecosystem-level protection more dynamic, intuitive and visible, empowering users to maintain trust across all their devices with more confidence and clarity.

Secure Wi-Fi Strengthened with Quantum-Resistant Encryption

In continuation of its commitment to quantum-safe security, Samsung is bringing post-quantum cryptography to Secure Wi-Fi^[4] extending the trusted approach first introduced on the Galaxy S25 series through Post-Quantum Enhanced Data Protection (EDP). Secure Wi-Fi is now being upgraded with a new cryptographic framework^[5] designed to strengthen network protection against emerging threats, particularly those anticipated in the era of quantum computing. This enhancement secures the key exchange process at the core of encrypted connections, helping ensure robust privacy even over public networks.

Quantum computing, once fully realized, could undermine many of today’s data protection methods. By integrating post-quantum cryptography, Secure Wi-Fi is built to withstand future attacks that capture encrypted data with the intent to break it once quantum technology matures – a tactic known as “harvest now, decrypt later.” This upgrade fortifies the secure tunnel between Galaxy devices and Samsung servers, reinforcing the integrity of data transmissions in high-risk environments like public Wi-Fi.

In addition to this future-ready foundation, Secure Wi-Fi offers a suite of advanced privacy features:

• Auto Protect: Automatically activates in public places like cafés, airports or hotels, securing Wi-Fi connections without requiring user action.
• Enhanced Privacy Protection (EPP): Encrypts internet traffic and routes it through multiple layers, combining packet encryption and relay to anonymize device information and help prevent tracking.
• Protection Activity: Provides visibility into protection history by showing which apps and networks were secured and how much data was encrypted over time.

A Trusted Platform with Built-In Safeguards

In addition to its latest innovations, Samsung continues to strengthen the core protections that underpin the Galaxy experience. These features reflect a multi-layered security approach that protects across hardware and software, while giving users greater visibility and control:

• Knox Vault secures sensitive credentials such as passwords, PINs and biometrics in a physically isolated environment, helping to keep them protected even if the main operating system is compromised.
• Auto Blocker helps provide defense by default, blocking unauthorized app installs, restricting command-based attacks and mitigating risks from potential zero-click threats.
• Advanced Intelligence Settings gives users the option to turn off online data processing for AI features, so personal information can stay on-device, fully under their control.
• Enhanced Theft Protection helps protect personal data even in high-risk situations such as robbery, using safeguards like Identity Check and Security Delay to prevent unauthorized access.

This latest set of updates reinforces Samsung’s long-standing commitment to mobile security that evolves with innovation. It strengthens on-device privacy for personalized AI with, expands transparency and user control through Knox Matrix, and introduces quantum-resistant protection to Secure Wi-Fi for a more future-ready Galaxy experience. As new security challenges emerge, Samsung remains focused on delivering safeguards that are built in, always on and ready for what’s next.

^[1] Available on Galaxy smartphones and tablets with One UI 8 or later.

^[2] The Personal Data Engine functions when the Personal Data Intelligence menu is on. Analyzed data will be deleted once the Personal Data Intelligence menu is turned off.

^[3] Available on Galaxy smartphones and tablets with One UI 8 or later. Availability may vary by model and/or market.

^[4] Secure Wi-Fi offers free protection of up to 1024MB per month for Android OS 13 or later, and 250MB per month for Android OS 12 or earlier versions. Availability details may vary by market or network provider and connectivity is subject to applicable network environments.

^[5] This upgrade applies a post-quantum cryptographic algorithm certified under NIST FIPS 203 (ML-KEM). Availability may vary by market, model, and OS version.

Concerns over the invasion of privacy and the loss of ownership have become increasingly common. As technology continues to become further embedded in our everyday lives, our communication increasingly takes place online – which often means sharing sensitive and private information over the Internet.

It can be hard to know the right way to do this. For example, you might have concerns around the security of third-party messaging platforms. Or you might be worried that your private information and data could be lost or compromised in the event of a server attack or the loss of your phone. When connecting to another device, you might also worry about who can see that data, and how to keep it secure.

At Samsung, we’ve thought of all this and made it our mission to keep you protected so you can safely and comfortably share your data with whoever you choose.

Private Sharing with Quick Share

Ever been in a situation like this? You want to share pictures of your newborn baby, or a video from your recent holiday, but don’t want to risk them somehow ending up online or visible to anyone other than those you intended.

Samsung Galaxy has a built-in solution to this problem: Quick Share’s Private Sharing, a privacy-preserving file-sharing function that lets you share your data with peace of mind.

With Private Sharing, you and you alone own the data. You can ensure that only the designated recipients can open the files you send – no one else. You can also set permissions and expiration dates for the data, so it’s only viewable for a limited amount of time. Further, you can give read-only access without the ability to re-share; revoke the data access whenever you like; restrict screenshotting, and see when the recipient received and opened the file.

Private Sharing makes it safe and easy to share your content, and you can share up to 20 files at once with a total size of under 200MB. And of course, all your files are securely and fully encrypted when shared, courtesy of blockchain-based encryption technology.

To use Private Sharing, select the file you want to send and tap the Share icon. Tap Quick Share, followed by the three dots for more options in the top right corner. Then select Turn on Private Sharing. Once the message has been sent, you can check what you’ve sent and change the expiration date or revoke sharing permissions.

▲ Select file > Quick Share > Three dots (more options) > Turn on Private sharing

No more worries about misfiring a private photo or file, or having your information fall into the wrong hands. With Quick Share’s Private Sharing, you’re in control of your data and who you choose to share it with, and you’ll be kept up to date every step of the way.

Enhanced Data Protection with End-to-End Encryption

Here’s a moment that would make anyone panic. You receive a notification that something’s gone wrong with a website you visited, and the server where your sensitive account details are stored has been compromised.

No one wants their data leaked. But with Galaxy’s Enhanced Data Protection, you can rest assured that your data remains secure in the Samsung Cloud.

Starting with the Galaxy S24, Enhanced Data Protection offers additional protection for Galaxy devices when you sync or back up your data with Samsung Cloud.^[1] This feature mitigates data loss via end-to-end encryption (E2EE), which ensures data can only be encrypted or decrypted on your device and cannot be seen by anyone but you. In other words, you can connect to other devices while staying secure, and your data will be kept safe even if a server is compromised or account details are stolen.

When you activate Enhanced Data Protection, you’ll be prompted to write down a recovery code to help prevent the loss of your data in the event you lose your device.

To use Enhanced Data Protection, open the Samsung Cloud app, tap the three dots for more options, choose Settings, and then Enhanced Data Protection. From here, you can choose to encrypt backup or synced data. Alternatively, you can open your device Settings and go to Security and Privacy to find this feature.

▲ Samsung Cloud > Three dots (more options) > Settings > Enhanced data protection ▲ Settings > Security and privacy > More security settings > Enhanced data protection

End-to-end encrypted data is only accessible on devices using the Enhanced Data Protection feature, and cannot be accessed by anyone else, including Samsung.

We know that our users want to be able to enjoy their lives safely with the knowledge that their devices and data are protected. Galaxy enables you to do just that – so you can safely go out there knowing we have your back.

^[1] Enhanced Data Protection availability and support may vary by device model and OS.

Almost every day we hear of a cybersecurity threat affecting everything from consumers to businesses and organisations. These threats can create risks within networks, data and devices, and the number of incidents has risen exponentially. We already know that these threats come in multiple forms such as malware or phishing attacks — but they are often invisible to the victim until it’s too late.

Our powerful Galaxy security solutions provide multiple ways to protect you from these cybersecurity threats by securing your device and helping control your privacy. Auto Blocker and Message Guard are two of these safeguards.

Auto Blocker

Auto Blocker is all about choice — providing an opt-in package of additional security measures so that you are completely in control to choose whether you want to explore the customisations enabled by Galaxy’s ecosystem. Auto Blocker will protect your Galaxy device and personal data by preventing app installations from unauthorised sources. The feature will also check for malware and other cybersecurity threats, immediately blocking any malicious activity that could come as a result.

One example of Auto Blocker in action is the prevention of what many people call sideloading, or downloading apps from unverified sources. There are numerous benefits to intentional sideloading, such as added customisations to your phone. But if you do not typically sideload, this feature will provide extra peace of mind and stall potential attacks that can come in the form of social engineering fraud like voice phishing — in which threat actors trick you over the phone and talk you into installing malicious software.

The extra level of protection that Auto Blocker provides also stops harmful commands from entering your physical USB port — which could come in handy when charging your phone through an outlet at a public space like an airport.

Turning on Auto Blocker is a quick and simple process that takes less than a minute. Open Settings, go to Security and Privacy, then tap Auto Blocker and select On.

Settings > Security and privacy > Auto Blocker

Message Guard

Cybersecurity threats come in many forms, and each year they become even more sophisticated. One threat that is becoming increasingly common is the zero-click attack, which exploits vulnerabilities in your device software. This can take place any time an image is received and does not require any action whatsoever on the user’s part.

For instance, your phone receives an image and vibrates gently in your pocket or on your bedside table before going still. You haven’t touched your phone or facilitated any input, but someone may already be reading your messages, browsing your gallery or copying your bank details.

Samsung’s Message Guard will neutralise any potential threats that might be hiding in the image before it has a chance to do any harm by effectively trapping the file in an isolated space on your device. While the image is put into quarantine, Samsung Message Guard checks the file bit by bit — processing it in a controlled environment to prevent infection to the rest of your device

Message Guard works with a range of popular messaging apps that you probably already use, from Google and Samsung apps to Messenger, Telegram and WhatsApp. You don’t need to worry about initiating the process either since Message Guard runs silently and effectively 24/7 in the background without needing to be activated in any way.

Settings > Security and privacy > Auto Blocker > Messaging app protection

Although there is no doubt that cybersecurity threats will continue to evolve and become increasingly common, Samsung’s priority is to always keep you safe because privacy can only be assured with strong security. However you choose to live your life, Galaxy is there — watching your back and ensuring you stay in control.

Security Updates for Longer

While it’s important to have robust security features, it is also crucial to keep them up to date so you are protected against the latest threats. That’s why Samsung is providing up to seven years of security updates and seven years of operating system upgrades, starting with the Galaxy S24 series.^[1] This is the longest period of software support currently available for mobile devices, allowing users to keep their phones safely and more reliably for longer.

^[1] Availability and timing of Android OS upgrades and security updates may vary by device model and market.

We pick up our mobile devices hundreds of times each day and now rely on them to such an extent that we rarely leave the house without them. They’re an extension of us, and explosive new technologies like AI and generative AI bring hugely exciting opportunities to what you can do with your device – or rather, what your device can enable you to do.

But while technology changes, your right to privacy doesn’t. New developments mean new ways of data being processed. At Samsung, we think you should have the full picture when it comes to your personal information. We believe transparency, choice and control must be at the core of the mobile experience.

In this highly digitised world, your security and privacy are more important than ever, so it’s only right that our users have full control over their devices. That’s why we focus on providing solutions that allow you to have complete controllability and total empowerment over how your data is used.

Security & Privacy Dashboard:

This belief is the cornerstone of our Security & Privacy Dashboard. The Dashboard enables you to have complete control over your data, including who sees it and how it gets used. In one simple and easy-to-use interface, you can view, create and update your app permissions, controls and data-sharing features – effectively enabling you to call the shots on your data and customise your experience, your way.

The Dashboard also allows you to see any data that may be at risk, intuitively showing you the safety status of security items.

Settings > Security and privacy

From there, you can quickly and easily change your settings to manage potential dangers at the touch of a button. Items are ordered in priority of the functions that could have the most significant impact on your online safety – such as lock screen, account security, lost device protection via Find My Mobile, app security and updates. These are instantly accessible at the top, with intuitive red, yellow or green alerts showing any problems at a glance and providing clear indicators of any security issues.

Of course, we also do the work for you. Apps can continue tracking data for months, even when they are not in use – but Galaxy devices proactively remove permissions from apps that have not been used in a while, which can then be reinstated if you choose in the Dashboard.

You can do this through Permission Manager and Permission Usage. Permission Manager easily shows you which apps can access your data – whether it’s your location, camera or microphone and in which context (for example, if it’s only when using the app). Permission Usage provides an easy way for you to see your recently used permissions – specifically, which apps have used a certain permission in the last 24 hours or seven days. And, to make things even easier, we also provide instant action prompts through the Dashboard to help make data decisions more intuitive and transparent.

It’s simple to access your Security & Privacy Dashboard. Just go to Settings and Security & Privacy, where you can review and adjust permissions as you see fit.

You can also play with features to further enhance your device’s privacy, such as the Clipboard Access toggle. Turning this setting on (by going to Settings, then Privacy and looking for the toggle “Alert when clipboard accessed” means that any time an app pastes something from your clipboard, you’ll get a notification. No more hidden activity.

It’s never been easier to see and understand your data privacy with Galaxy. We put the control in your hands.

Find My Mobile / Samsung Find:

It’s one of life’s inevitabilities – at some point, we all misplace our phones. But with Find My Mobile and Samsung Find, you no longer need to worry about your device’s personal information getting into the wrong hands.

Once Find My Mobile is enabled, Samsung Find allows you to locate, lock and even erase your device’s data to create an access lockdown. You can find your device even if it’s not connected to a mobile network, as long as it’s turned on. And through Samsung Find, it’s not only your Galaxy phone you can hunt down – but also your Galaxy Buds, tablets, watches and other devices.

The additional options available make it easier than ever to find your devices. Users can invite family members in the Samsung Find app to view the location or activate ringing noises to help track down shared devices. To give yourself the best chance of locating lost devices with Samsung Find, you can extend the battery life by remotely turning on power saving mode.

Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection

With Galaxy, you’re empowered to stay in complete control of your device – even when it’s not physically with you.

Advanced Intelligence settings:

As an industry-leading global manufacturer, Samsung is focused on enhancing the device experience through dedicated AI features while prioritising privacy in the era of AI. Many of our Galaxy AI features use on-device data processing which means sensitive information stays with you and you alone. For those features that do require processing in the cloud or external servers, we make sure your data is protected with strict policies.

In a world of AI-enhanced experiences, we know that not everyone wants to use cloud-based AI. For some, keeping data on-device is a priority. So, while innovation is important to us, we believe it’s just as, if not more important that we continue to empower our users with the choice over their own experience.

That choice is yours with our Advanced Intelligence settings.^[1] Built into our Galaxy AI-supported devices, these settings let you decide how much you allow your data to enhance AI experiences and whether you want to allow online processing for full AI functionality.

To access the settings, open Settings and select Advanced features, then Advanced intelligence. Here, you’ll see the option to “Process data only on device.”

Settings > Advanced features > Advanced intelligence

We’re still just as committed to providing our users with transparency, choice and control over their devices in this epic new world. It’s all up to you, and it’s never been easier to see and understand what happens to your data at all times. Your privacy, secured with Galaxy.

^[1] Availability may vary by device model, OS and/or market.

Our phones are constantly in our hands, but have you considered how often they get into the hands of others? Whether it’s entertaining a child, showing something funny to a friend or sending it in for repair; we hand over our precious devices surprisingly often. Each time we do that, we risk allowing too much access. It’s an invasion of privacy, waiting to happen.

With Pin App and Maintenance Mode, you don’t have to worry about anyone snooping around. You get to decide what people can and can’t see, no matter who’s got their hands on your device. It’s like having a personal bouncer for your phone.

Pin App

There’s a feeling you get when you hand over your phone to show somebody some pictures. It could be your holiday snaps, or just something funny you saved. But then they accidentally open another app and now they see a photo or message or anything else you didn’t intend to show them. It’s a horrifying moment, but Pin App can stop that from happening again.

Think of Pin App like a personal bouncer for your apps, stopping people from getting into where they’re not welcome. Instead, it keeps them exactly where they’re supposed to be – in the app you’ve pinned and nowhere else.

Pin App also acts as a Do Not Disturb sign, preventing awkward pop-up notifications that risk showing sensitive information when all you wanted to do was to share a funny social media post.

Setting up Pin App is quick and easy. Simply go to your Settings, then into Security and Privacy. Next, scroll down and find More Security Settings, and you can toggle the switch for Pin App on or tap on the text to view more settings. For extra security, you can choose ‘Ask for PIN before unpinning’, so whoever has your phone will need a password to get out of the pinned application.

Then, open the app you want to pin. Tap the Recents button (or swipe up and hold if you’re using swipe gestures) then tap the icon above the app. Select the ‘Pin this app’ option and that’s it.

Settings > Security and privacy > More security settings > Pin app

Maintenance Mode

Many of us at some point during the lifecycle of our device, will find ourselves submitting our phone to a third-party repair service for that cracked screen or that damaged charging port. More often than not, we need to send our device away for a period of time to have the repair done which brings its own risks including the ability of third parties to access private information on our devices.

Even the most careful among us can’t avoid accidents. When you send your phone away to get that cracked screen or damaged charging port fixed, you’ve got no idea who can access your data. This is where Samsung’s Maintenance Mode can be used.[1] It is specifically designed to protect and hide your personal data from being accessed when your device leaves your hands and is sent away for any type of repair.

When you activate Maintenance Mode, you can set up a distinct user profile, ensuring your primary account and data remain private. This mode can be activated either through the device’s Settings, where you tap Device Care before navigating to and tapping Maintenance Mode; or can be activated through the Samsung Members app.

Once Maintenance Mode has been turned on, you can conceal all your personal data including photos, videos, contacts and messages and prevent any unauthorised access. It also ensures that no data is erased by accident from your device, for instance, by a repair service centre.[2]

If you do need to send your device away for those repair activities, you can also ensure that those accessing it will only have access to basic device features that enable them to perform the necessary service diagnosis. Settings > Device care > Maintenance mode

Secure Folder

Samsung Knox provides layers of security and privacy, not only to protect users but also to give them choice in what they want to secure. For those who want to keep their most personal information separate and safe, there’s Secure Folder.

It’s a container that locks away your data so it cannot be accessed through your phone’s regular storage. It can hold your most private data such as calendar schedules and contact information, as well as notes, photos, videos, files and even apps. You can even encrypt the Secure Folder to keep your apps and data even more locked down until the next time you open the folder.

You can find Secure Folder in your apps. The first time you open it, you’ll have to set your lock type to either a PIN, pattern, or password. In addition to these, you can also add fingerprint access – and then you’re good to go. Anything you create within the Secure Folder will be automatically stored here, but you can also move data here any time.

For example, if you want to keep a copy of your driver’s license, you can take a photo of it using the Camera app within Secure Folder, or you can pick a photo in your Gallery, tap the options menu (the three dots), and then select ‘Move to Secure Folder’. There are a lot of things you can’t control, but when it comes to your privacy, Samsung wants to give you as much control as possible. With Pin App, Maintenance Mode and Secure Folder, you’ve got that extra reassurance against prying eyes. Settings > Security and privacy > More security settings > Secure Folder

Disclaimers:

[1] Availability may vary by market and model.

[1] As a precautionary measure, users are encouraged to back up any personal data before activating Maintenance Mode.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has unveiled a range of security innovations across its ecosystem of products and services. With the release of One UI 6, these innovations include updates to Samsung Knox Matrix with passkeys and end-to-end encryption for backed-up and restored Samsung Cloud data and the expansion of Samsung Knox Vault to the wider device ecosystem.

These advancements are engineered for an age of hyperconnectivity, ensuring that as we enter a world where multiple devices connect and share information with each other, the security aspect is never compromised. The updates were announced at the annual Samsung Developer Conference 2023 (SDC23), which brings together developers, creators and designers to explore Samsung’s powerful and seamless connected experiences. At the event, Samsung was able to showcase how these innovations will work to push the industry forward and empower users with more ways to safely do what they love, today and tomorrow.

“The strongest security and privacy innovations can help protect your everyday mobile experience as well as your device,” said Dr. Seungwon Shin, EVP & Head of Security Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “We strive to keep more users safe in more ways than ever and our latest security innovations mean users can live life with greater options and less effort – so life can truly open up possibilities, now and for years to come.”

Secure Convenience in a Connected World

The release of One UI 6 on Galaxy devices and an update to Samsung Knox Matrix^[1] work to further realise Samsung’s vision of a future where connected devices can protect each other within an ecosystem. Last year, we announced that Knox Matrix would support Trust Chain, which will enable connected devices to intelligently monitor each other for security threats and send notifications to other devices if one is ever attacked.

This meant that if a hacker were to target a device, Knox Matrix could detect the threat and isolate that device from other devices to keep the rest of the system safe. At SDC23, Samsung also announced updates to another key element of Knox Matrix – Credential Sync, which can help protect sensitive information as it moves between multiple devices, such as Samsung Galaxy devices, TVs and Family Hub refrigerators.

With the introduction of One UI 6, Credential Sync brings users an easy and secure way to sync their identities and credentials between their Samsung devices. Also, now available within Credential Sync is end-to-end encryption of backed-up and restored Samsung Cloud data.^[2] This ensures the data can only be encrypted or decrypted on a user’s devices, meaning nobody can see it but the user – even if a server is compromised or account details are stolen. Starting early 2024, Samsung Galaxy devices will also implement end-to-end encryption when users sync their data with Samsung Cloud.^[3]

As part of Credential Sync, Samsung has also developed new ways to manage and secure identities and credentials for a future hyperconnected world in the form of passkeys: digital credentials that can be used as authentication for websites and apps. Through One UI 6, Samsung Pass has been updated with the ability to use passkeys,^[4] marking a significant step towards a passwordless future where passkeys replace traditional passwords to provide an experience that is:

• Faster: Users can save time on typing their account username into their device by instead quickly selecting the account they wish to sign into.
• Easier: Once passkeys are registered, users can easily switch over to a new connected device with no requirement to sign up all over again.
• More secure: Passkeys only work on users’ registered websites and applications, ensuring protection against phishing attacks from malicious sites or apps.

Knox Matrix realises this revolutionary step in the evolution of passwords by enabling a convenient way to share passkeys across multiple devices without sacrificing security. Based on FIDO’s international standards, passkeys enable users to use Samsung Pass on their smartphone to sign into apps and websites through biometric sensors, such as fingerprints. With One UI 6, passkeys are able to be held in escrow until specific conditions are met – like when a PIN, password or lock screen pattern of a user’s previous device is entered on their Samsung Galaxy smartphone. These updated escrow functions within Knox Matrix will eliminate the need for users to remember current passwords or reset forgotten ones, providing convenience and stronger security when sharing credentials between connected devices.

Powerful Security Innovations on More Samsung Devices

Besides innovating to secure the device ecosystems of the future, Samsung is also democratising its most powerful security innovations for its devices today. Samsung Knox Vault is being strengthened through the expansion beyond flagship devices to protect more customers and give them greater choice in the devices they can safely use. Knox Vault can help protect the most critical data on a device, including lock screen information, such as PIN codes, passwords and patterns.

It constructs a secure execution environment that is physically isolated from the system’s main processor and memory and is effective from the moment a user registers their lock screen – thus users can enjoy the security they need without hassle. Knox Vault can help protect users’ security keys which encrypt their private data stored in the device, ensuring total safety – even if the device is lost or stolen.

A hardware-based and tamper-resistant solution, Samsung Knox Vault was created to safeguard a user’s private data against not only software-based hacking, but also hardware attacks using high-end professional tools. Originally launched on Samsung Galaxy flagship devices including S Series, Z Series, S FE Series smartphones and Tab S Series tablets, Knox Vault is being expanded to Samsung Neo QLED 8K TVs in 2023 and the wider Galaxy ecosystem including Galaxy A Series smartphones with One UI 6 or later^[1] in 2024.

Your Secure Ecosystem, Expanded

The wide range of powerful security measures make Samsung Galaxy devices better at ensuring user privacy, addressing the need for convenience in a hyperconnected society with the backing of a true commitment to strong user security. One UI 6 also brings updates to Galaxy’s Security and Privacy Dashboard, making it easier than ever for users to see and control what is happening to their data. The latest security and privacy innovations announced at SDC23 are built on top of Galaxy’s secure foundation: security at every level from the chips up to the apps, real-time threat detection and collaborative protection with trusted partners.

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Disclaimers:

¹ Samsung Knox Matrix availability may vary by model and/or market.
² Availability timing may vary by app. Support of data backup and restoration for third party apps may vary depending on individual app policies.
³ End-to-end encryption support for Samsung Cloud data sync may vary by app and/or service.
⁴ Available on Galaxy devices with Samsung Pass, supporting One UI 6 or later. Passkey login is available on applications or websites that support passkeys.
⁵ Samsung Knox Vault availability may vary by model.

Learn more about how the Security & Privacy Dashboard helps you manage app permissions on your Galaxy devices here.

* This content was originally published on Bustle on December 22, 2022. Click here for more.

¹ Samsung collaborated with Bustle Digital Group (BDG) to conduct an online survey between November and December 2022 with a sample of 1,000 U.S. residents between 18 and 25 years of age.

* This content was originally published on Bustle on December 23, 2022. Click here for more.

¹ Samsung collaborated with Bustle Digital Group (BDG) to conduct an online survey between November and December 2022 with a sample of 1,000 U.S. residents between 18 and 25 years of age.