Samsung One UI 8 Rumors: Secure Folder Set for Major Security Overhaul?
Is your Samsung Galaxy about to get a whole lot more secure? Buzz is building around the upcoming One UI 8 update, with rumors suggesting a significant upgrade to the security of Secure Folder, a key feature designed to protect your most sensitive data. This potential change comes after concerns were raised about vulnerabilities in the current implementation.
According to tipster IposDev, who has reportedly been exploring an early One UI 8 build, Samsung is planning to leverage Google's Private Spaces API instead of Android's Work Profiles for Secure Folder. This shift could address a security flaw discovered in One UI 7, where media files stored within Secure Folder were potentially exposed to other apps with physical access to the device.
The current Secure Folder utilizes Android's Work Profiles to create a separate, isolated space for your private apps and files. However, this approach has shown weaknesses. As one Redditor pointed out, if a user has a work profile enabled through apps like Island or Shelter, apps within that work profile could potentially access photos and videos stored in Secure Folder without restrictions.
Google's Private Spaces, introduced with Android 15, offers a different approach. It creates a truly separate user profile that is treated differently by the Android system, enhancing privacy and security. By adopting this API, One UI 8 could potentially eliminate the loophole that allows unauthorized access to Secure Folder contents.
The change is not outwardly visible. Secure Folder's description reads mostly the same, highlighting its ability to provide "an extra layer of protection" for items you want to keep secure and private on your device, like apps, photos, and more.
What does this mean for Samsung users? If these rumors prove true, the One UI 8 update could deliver a substantial security boost to Secure Folder, providing greater peace of mind for those who rely on it to safeguard their sensitive information. While Samsung acknowledged the earlier vulnerability, they didn't offer a solution until this change. Users should encrypt Secure Folder and change phone setup if they have a Work Profile as a precaution. Forbes previously recommended doing the same.
However, given the delayed rollout of One UI 7, it remains to be seen when One UI 8 will actually arrive on devices. Further rumors surrounding changes to the weather app in One UI 8 emerged and showed how One UI 8 may be installed on the Galaxy S25.
Will this security upgrade make you more likely to use Secure Folder? What other features are you hoping to see in One UI 8? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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