Samsung Fixs Secure Folder Gap That Leaks Applications And Hidden Photos

Secure Folder has long been Samsung's mainstay (photo: x @techdroider)

JAKARTA - Samsung has officially fixed the security gap in the Secure Folder feature which previously allowed anyone holding your device to see the apps and photos you are hiding.

This update comes through the latest interface of One UI 8 which now classifies Secure Folder as a private' profile, not just a work profile' like before.

Secure Folder has long been Samsung's mainstay to hide sensitive files and apps on Galaxy phones. This feature creates a separate private space that is code-protected however, a bug this year was found to allow other parties who have physical access to devices to view applications and photos in Secure Folders. The gap is now patched in One UI 8.

The core problem of this vulnerability is rooted in the way Android handles profile'. Previously, Samsung's Secure Folder was applied as a "work profile" because Android did not officially provide a private profile option when this feature was first launched in 2017.

However, the weakness is that some components of the system, such as Google's Photo Picker and Permission Controller, don't treat "work profile" as a truly private space. As a result, through these components, data and applications in Secure Folder can be seen by anyone.

Google itself has just introduced a "private profile" on Android 15, specifically for their Private Space feature, so that the core components of the system recognize and hide private data better.

Fortunately, Samsung followed this development at One UI 8 by classifying Secure Folder as a "private profile". Now both Photo Picker and Permission Controller will actually hide other sensitive files, apps and information from the hands of unauthorized people.

It's important to note that this maximum protection is only active if you actually hide Secure Folder, not just close the app. When Secure Folder is hidden, the icon in the app drawer also disappears and the data in it will be encrypted. Apps in Secure Folder will also stop running and cannot send notifications.

Even so, there is still one shortcoming: Secure Folder integration with third-party launchers, such as Niagara Launcher, is still not available at One UI 8. Even though Google has provided Private Space support for third-party launchers on Android 15. Hopefully this kind of support will be available in the upcoming One UI update.

With this step, Samsung demonstrates its commitment to maintaining user privacy and security. For those of you Galaxy device owners, make sure to update to One UI 8 so that Secure Folder protection is much maximized.