[android tablet] Locking Down Nexus 7

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

We're trying out a Nexus 7, with a view to rolling out around 15 in a class for web research. I've set it up with SureLock (trial version), which appears to work well. I've used it to lock out all applications other than Chrome.

 

My Android experience is limited though but there appears to be a circular problem, in that I have logged into the tablet with my Google account which I will presumably need to do to buy SureLock. Chrome is therefore logged in with my Google account, and potentially accessible by the students.

 

Is there a way I can stop access to the account in Chrome? I can't see a logout option on the tablet version.

 

TIA

[ConradJones]

setup a dummy google account and login with that.

[Gongalong]

Does changing the account affect which apps are loaded on the device? I know with iOS that the account is connected to the apps you get on the device.

[edutech4schools]

You might want to look at LearnPad - The Tablet Computer Designed for Education as you set the screen and apps up online and send the finished themes to all the devices. You can mass install apps and totally lock them down.

 

They do a trial version for you to download on the site.

[Gongalong]

How do these compare performance-wise with the Nexus 7, and what OS do they use?

 

I think we're almost there with the Nexus. Having checked I did manage to logout of the Google account with Chrome at least, so that solves one headache.

 

It appears you can install an app multiple times with one Google account (for SureLock), but the license may well be the issue How to install paid apps on multiple Android devices | How To - CNET

 

Anyone else out there using tablets in classrooms? What were the pitfalls?

[CyberNerd]

How do these compare performance-wise with the Nexus 7, and what OS do they use?

 

I think they sell the software independently from their tablets.

[MordyT]

The problem with your approach is that sure lock ( or any other app) can be easily bypassed by booting to safe mode. I think all you have to do is hold down on power off to get the prompt.

 

What you really need to do is build ( or have someone else build) a custom ROM removing all the apps you don't want them to access. Then flash that image to all the devices.

 

It sounds hard and risky but is quite safe.

 

If you aren't willing to go that far maybe you would be OK with "rooting" the n7 and using a root browser such as es file manager removing the apk files you want. Each file is an app, removing the apk files will remove the apps.

Edited April 4, 2013 by MordyT

[Gongalong]

What does safe mode give access to?

[edutech4schools]

I think the learnpad blocks the power button along with everything else. They offer a software only version that you download or a pre built (hardware and software) version, both are android based.

 

Why not do what I did and download the trial version and put it on one device and have a play, that is what sold it to me. http://www.edugeek.net/forums/netbooks-pda-phones/109835-learnpad-very-impressed.html

[MordyT]

What does safe mode give access to?

 

Safe mode stops any apps from auto starting which means app blocking apps do not start up to do blocking.

[ConradJones]

how / where is the software version??????

[edutech4schools]

how / where is the software version??????

 

if you are talking about the learnpad - LearnPad Software - Store - LearnPad

[ConradJones]

any idea on pricing.?

[MordyT]

I had a look at the install instructions and I have to say... for me at least I could bypass it in about 2 or so minutes. All it is is a custom launcher, a service to keep the launcher on top ( and probably some other stuff to maintain). That means if I can crash the launcher, switch the default launcher, or otherwise get the launcher to not start up I could be free of restrictions.

I don't know how talented your students are, maybe I am just making it sound easy due to my android development knowledge, but this is far from secure. The rest of what it does is even more basic. Android has remote app installs/removals built into the os since forever (1.x) (BTW, it is how the play store works), anyone can make their own apps store (just look at all the Chinese ones) and it gets worse from there. Yeah, it ties it all together nicely, but is far from secure.

 

If someone wants to post their hardware they are using it on (pref a nexus 7 since that is what i have) I would be happy to walk them through overwriting it.

[edutech4schools]

That means if I can crash the launcher, switch the default launcher, or otherwise get the launcher to not start up I could be free of restrictions.

 

How would you do that?

 

The only way I can think of is removing the battery and then getting it to reboot, but if the pupils are doing that you need to ask your self just how much time do you put in or if these are a good device for your school.

[edutech4schools]

In fact even taking the battery out and rebooting just boots you back to the learnpad software. So I guess you would need to remove the battery, hold down some buttons, boot in safe mode..........

 

Sound like the remove cat5 cable during boot to stop gps applying that we all lived with.

[SovietRussia]

It sounds silly that no-one has produced free educational android lock down solution. Ill take a look at it

[MordyT]

How would you do that?

 

The only way I can think of is removing the battery and then getting it to reboot, but if the pupils are doing that you need to ask your self just how much time do you put in or if these are a good device for your school.

 

The same way you crash any other software... overload/do something it doesn't handle gracefully. No battery removal necessary.

 

I will try to work up a video over the weekend if I have time.

[Gongalong]

The only way I can think of is removing the battery and then getting it to reboot, but if the pupils are doing that you need to ask your self just how much time do you put in or if these are a good device for your school.

This is the problem we face: how do we make these things bombproof, and ultimately are we even able to? At the end of the day the students should be using these for work, and should be supervised (that's the hope!).

[SYNACK]

They are never going to be bombproof, no solution is, you are looking at best effort. Yes you can bypass security in safemode, you can do that with PCs and Macs too. You do have the option of the custom firmware but that is a PITA. As with all tablets you are going to be fighting an uphill battle with the students that now have an easily hidable, quickly changeable device that is insanely difficult to monitor when talking about a class load of them.

 

The best you can probably do is lock it down as best you can and have them filtered separately so you can enable/disable sites at will if you need that level of control. It is not as if the other solutions are some kind of miracle with security either, the iPad spent quite some time where all you needed to bypass its lockscreen security was a magnet.

 

You must set your expectations at what is possible and think about how much you actually need to lock them down. This is why tablets are still a dubious proposition in schools and why some have come out and called them the worst decision they ever made for classroom control. In the end you can only solve so much technologically and the rest is behavioural, the best solution will have to be a combination of both and leave the rest of the burden where it should be, with the teachers and people who wanted them in the first place.

[MordyT]

I agree with most of what was said above. The only real way to lock them down correctly would be custom firmware...

 

Custom firmware is like a image for a PC... with a tablet like the n7 it couldn't be easier. And you can lock it down a lot better... move your apps to system so they cant be uninstalled, give apps root access so they can break out of the sandbox and work in safe mode, etc.

[Gongalong]

Thanks Synack, agreed with all of that.

 

The driver here is the cost of an IT classroom with desktop PCs, which I sympathise with. Although there are of course the hidden costs with tablets e.g. longevity (lack of), breakage. I will highlight the issues again with the teachers to make sure they're clear.

 

The main question now is whether to go with something like the Nexus and Surelock, or the LearnPad. I'll see if I can get a hardware demo of the latter.

 

Anyone have any experience of the LearnPad?

[alisonm]

If someone wants to post their hardware they are using it on (pref a nexus 7 since that is what i have) I would be happy to walk them through overwriting it.

 

I agree with MordyT - I want to create Custom firmware lock it down have the apps so they cant be uninstalled, etc.

I have rooted the device. It is a Nexus 7 v4.2.2 Build JDQ39. I would love your instructions on how to create my own custom ROM

[MordyT]

I agree with MordyT - I want to create Custom firmware lock it down have the apps so they cant be uninstalled, etc.

I have rooted the device. It is a Nexus 7 v4.2.2 Build JDQ39. I would love your instructions on how to create my own custom ROM

 

Hit up xda developers. Start by just building aosp. Then you can start adding and removing files.

[PrakashGupta]

I guess SureLock has option to completely disable SAFE mode for rooted and Samsung devices.