Screen Unlocking Options, Biometric Data Protection
Unlocking devices running Mosaic OS is very similar to that of the most widely used operating systems. However, this is only true in practice, from the user’s perspective! Behind the scenes, biometric data is completely secure, and there is no way for third parties to access it. Although traditional operating systems also support biometric data, their hardware isolation and data management protocols are not as strict as those of Mosaic OS. You can access all the features you can set up for device unlocking via Settings → Security & Privacy → Device Unlock.
Using a PIN is essential; you’ll find this option under Screen Lock. We recommend enabling the Scramble PIN input layout feature. This way, when entering your PIN, you’ll type it from a scrambled sequence of numbers. This is because there are attack methods where attackers watch which part of the screen you tap when entering your PIN. The scrambled sequence helps prevent this. In addition, keep the Enhanced PIN privacy option enabled, disable the Allow camera access when locked feature, and, if possible, set your phone to Lock after the screen timeout. Set the Power button instantly locks option.
We strongly recommend unlocking the phone with your Fingerprint; however, if for some reason your fingerprint cannot be recognized, you can unlock the phone with a password after three attempts. Your fingerprint is stored in an encrypted format on MosaicOS; it cannot leave the device’s hardware-secured secure area, which we refer to as the VAULT. When a request for your fingerprint is received from an app, the request enters this vault, the verification takes place within the vault, and the result is sent back to the app. This provides an extra layer of security compared to traditional operating systems. Keep the Unlock your phone and Verify it’s you in apps options enabled.
MosaicOS also offers an additional screen lock option called Duress password. When you enter this password, all data is automatically deleted from the phone, and the device then turns off. The average user is unlikely to find themselves in a situation where they need to use this feature… but who knows?
