"In a sweeping November report on encryption, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance wrote that Google can “reset the passcodes” on some Android phones without full encryption, when served with a search warrant. “This process can be done by Google remotely and allows forensic examiners to view the contents of a device,” according to the report."
> "Google has no ability to facilitate unlocking any device that has been protected with a PIN, Password, or fingerprint," [Android’s security chief, Adrian Ludwig] wrote. "This is the case whether or not the device is encrypted, and for all versions of Android."
Also note it talks about being able to unlock phones without full encryption. Which yes, understandable. But I'm interested in specifics at the level that we've been talking about with iPhones - eg, on phones with appropriate TPMs (like the new Nexus devices), is it possible to bypass?
EDIT: Reading the source post [1] more, it notes that
- Google has no ability to facilitate unlocking any device that has been protected with a PIN, Password, or fingerprint. This is the case whether or not the device is encrypted, and for all versions of Android.
- Google also does not have any mechanism to facilitate access to devices that have been encrypted (whether encrypted by the user, as has been available since Android 3.0 for all Android devices, or encrypted by default, as has been available since Android 5.0 on select devices).
- There are some devices that have been configured to use a "pattern" to unlock. Until Android L, "pattern" unlock did provide a recovery option with the Google account. This recovery feature was discontinued with Android L.
- The lost pattern recovery feature never applied to PIN or Password so if you are on an earlier model device and don't want to use the pattern recovery feature, you can switch to a PIN or Password and it will be disabled.