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Explain Knox to a simpleton

wunay

Android Enthusiast
Jan 18, 2011
338
21
Staffordshire, UK
I am trying to get my head around Knox, its effect on my everyday use etc.
I do not intend to root my phone or anything like that.

The various posting in respect of this subject go above my head.

Do I understand that it creates a space on your phone where everything in that space is protected?

Whereas I am assured on this forum that it has been downloaded and I accept that statement (having little knowledge in this respect) Why am I presented by the fact that if I click on the Knox icon I am presented with ...
 
ironass

Your links confirmed my understanding of Knox and I thank you for that.

However If I click on Lookout and also Evernote, I am able to access Lookout, EverNote and sync them with my PC despite a message coming up "Security information An application attempted to access system on your device without authorisation. This has been blocked".

Neither Lookout or Evernote were seemingly been blocked as the changes that were made were there and were synced.

Can't get my head round that part of it?
 
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ironass

Your links confirmed my understanding of Knox and I thank you for that.

However If I click on Lookout and also Evernote, I am able to access Lookout, EverNote and sync them with my PC despite a message coming up "Security information An application attempted to access system on your device without authorisation. This has been blocked".

Neither Lookout or Evernote were seemingly been blocked as the changes that were made were there and were synced.

Can't get my head round that part of it?

This is an overly simplistic explanation wunay, as requested. ;)

(Quotes are from my previous link... What is Samsung Knox?)

#1. The latest Android firmwares contain the basic components, Knox flag and locked bootloader, to allow the installation and monitoring of the Knox security app.

"Knox does not come pre-installed on your Samsung handset, but there is a shortcut within the app tray so that you can download it (for free) if you wish to use it."

#2. Knox security is designed for those who use their phones at work or BYOD, Bring Your Own Device, where such places of work, i.e. GCHQ, NSA, Defence, Government, corporate business, etc, etc; demand a higher sense of security from the phones carried by their employees and means that one device can be used for both personal and work life rather than carrying around 2 phones, one for personal use and one for business...

"It helps you to securely separate your personal and professional data. Essentially, you can have the benefits of using a
 
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ironass

Thanks for that. I do now grasp as to Knox after your earlier postings and forgive me for my persistence but why does the message come up "Security information. An application attempted to access system on your device without authorisation. This has been blocked" when the only apps used were Lookout and/or EverNote have not seemingly been blocked?

Again I apologise but I do keep going until I totally grasp the situation. I do not believe in stating I do understand when I do not.
 
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ironass

Thanks for that. I do now grasp as to Knox after your earlier postings and forgive me for my persistence but why does the message come up "Security information. An application attempted to access system on your device without authorisation. This has been blocked" when the only apps used were Lookout and/or EverNote have not seemingly been blocked?

Again I apologise but I do keep going until I totally grasp the situation. I do not believe in stating I do understand when I do not.

As per #6, I would suggest contacting your IT department regarding this as they are in control of permissions.
 
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ironass

I am a private individual who retired many years ago. My IT department is composed of the various forums on the internet.

Bear with me in old age.

So, why do you need to even use Knox Security on your phone? :thinking:

#2. Knox security is designed for those who use their phones at work or BYOD, Bring Your Own Device, where such places of work, i.e. GCHQ, NSA, Defence, Government, corporate business, etc, etc; demand a higher sense of security from the phones carried by their employees and means that one device can be used for both personal and work life rather than carrying around 2 phones, one for personal use and one for business...

"It helps you to securely separate your personal and professional data. Essentially, you can have the benefits of using a
 
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So, why do you need to even use Knox Security on your phone? :thinking:

I think the problem is that, like me, Knox seems to be creating these security warnings despite it not only not being configured it hasn't even been installed apparently.

I accepted the automatic upgrade on my phone and have been getting these warnings ever since. I have a new shiny Knox icon in my apps list which is a shortcut to download and install Knox. It clearly has something preinstalled and configured as part of the upgrade.

Looking at other forums this seems to be something Samsung has been aware of for a little while as people with rooted phones have been downloading this upgrade early and reporting this problem so it seems pretty poor show that Samsung should deliberately release this known bug to everyone.

I don't really want to have to do anything complicated to my phone - uninstalling Knox seems to involve hunting for and deleting files which I don't really want to do in case I break something else, and I am not even sure I have it installed anyway!
 
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Hello and welcome to Android Forums fumblina! :)

I think the problem is that, like me, Knox seems to be creating these security warnings despite it not only not being configured it hasn't even been installed apparently.

I accepted the automatic upgrade on my phone and have been getting these warnings ever since. I have a new shiny Knox icon in my apps list which is a shortcut to download and install Knox. It clearly has something preinstalled and configured as part of the upgrade.

Looking at other forums this seems to be something Samsung has been aware of for a little while as people with rooted phones have been downloading this upgrade early and reporting this problem so it seems pretty poor show that Samsung should deliberately release this known bug to everyone.

I don't really want to have to do anything complicated to my phone - uninstalling Knox seems to involve hunting for and deleting files which I don't really want to do in case I break something else, and I am not even sure I have it installed anyway!

The update to Knox enabled firmware, as per #1 in post #5, seems to trigger the Security notification. This is not an app but a part of the firmware that is prerequisite for installing the Knox app. In other posts on this forum and elsewhere on the web, it is reported that a Factory Data Reset can cure this problem as well as other suggested fixes.


fumblina

Exactly!

To uninstall Knox you apparently have to go to the Knox Home screen to uninstall. But if you do not have Knox installed but merely waiting for you to install it how can you uninstall it?

The user downloaded Knox app un-installation process is described here...

Uninstall Samsung KNOX
 
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ironass

That link you posted was the one that I had already seen but that would seem to presuppose that Knox is installed. The only reference that I have to Knox on my S4 is the shortcut to Knox which takes me to the "You need to download and install this app"!
Does that mean that I have to install Knox and THEN uninstall it?

There are no options to remove the Knox shortcut that I can see.

I appreciate your forbearance in this.
 
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ironass

That link you posted was the one that I had already seen but that would seem to presuppose that Knox is installed. The only reference that I have to Knox on my S4 is the shortcut to Knox which takes me to the "You need to download and install this app"!
Does that mean that I have to install Knox and THEN uninstall it?

There are no options to remove the Knox shortcut that I can see.

I appreciate your forbearance in this.

Can we be clear here wunay, have you downloaded and installed the Knox app, not the firmware?
 
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ironass

All I have done is to update from V4.2 to V4.3 and absolutely nothing else.

The only reference that I have that Knox exists is a short cut to INSTALL Knox.

Despite that there are warnings given "Security information An application attempted to access system on your device without authorisation. This has been blocked".
...........................................................................................................
I have in the last twenty minutes spoken with Samsung, who using SmartTutor (remote control) went through my phone setup but could not understand as to what was wrong and could not explain or remove the shortcut to Knox. Samsung also witnessed the warnings after EverNote and Lookout were accessed.
We went into Security/Unknown sources and unchecked and then rechecked that entry and this has been the only change or adjustment to the setup.
Apart from that to all intents and purpose the S4 is the same as it was before Samsung viewed it.

BUT................. the warnings have not reappeared and Samsung are unable to explain the reason for that.
I am content in that the warnings are no longer in evidence but thought that I would provide the above in case others may benefit or explain as to the cause of the problem.

I still have the Knox shortcut though.
 
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ironass

All I have done is to update from V4.2 to V4.3 and absolutely nothing else.

OK. Thanks wunay! My bad then as it appeared to me that you had installed the Knox user app. In that case, disregard my posts after #5 and put it down to a lack of alcohol. :cheers:

The only reference that I have that Knox exists is a short cut to INSTALL Knox.

That installs the Knox user app, if available, so disregard that or, alternatively, install a custom launcher such as APEX or Nova from the Play Store and select to hide that app in the app drawer.

Despite that there are warnings given "Security information An application attempted to access system on your device without authorisation. This has been blocked".

As per my reply to to fumblina in post #14, you were receiving these warnings because of the firmware that contains Knox components and not because of the app installation...

I have in the last twenty minutes spoken with Samsung, who using SmartTutor (remote control) went through my phone setup but could not understand as to what was wrong and could not explain or remove the shortcut to Knox. Samsung also witnessed the warnings after EverNote and Lookout were accessed.
We went into Security/Unknown sources and unchecked and then rechecked that entry and this has been the only change or adjustment to the setup.
Apart from that to all intents and purpose the S4 is the same as it was before Samsung viewed it.

BUT................. the warnings have not reappeared and Samsung are unable to explain the reason for that.
I am content in that the warnings are no longer in evidence but thought that I would provide the above in case others may benefit or explain as to the cause of the problem.

Lets hope it stays that way or you could try a reset.

I still have the Knox shortcut though.

That comes as standard with the Knox firmware.
 
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