Samsung Knox Adds New Data Protection Features for Galaxy Users

Samsung introduced new features for Knox – the security management software for its devices – on Wednesday. One of the new features claims to make sharing files such as photos, videos and documents more secure by adding various permissions and expiration dates for the data. The other added feature enables end-to-end encryption in system backups created for the handset. Both these solutions are in-built proprietary offerings from Samsung, without requiring the installation of any third-party apps.

Private Sharing on Samsung Knox

In a blog post titled “The Knox Journals”, Samsung detailed the new features coming to Knox for Galaxy devices. The first addition is Private Sharing in Quick Share. The South Korean technology conglomerate says it is a privacy-preserving file-sharing feature that enables the transfer of files between users securely.

Data shared via Private Sharing is said to be only accessible to the recipient. Users can also add an extra layer of security by setting an automatic timer for the files’ visibility or choosing contacts who can open it. Furthermore, additional restrictions, such as prohibiting screenshots, read-only access and revoking access at any time, can also be enabled. Samsung says users can share up to 20 files at once with a total size of up to 200MB.

To use Private Sharing, Galaxy users must choose the file they wish to share and tap on the Quick Share option. Next, they should tap on the three dots at the top-right corner of the screen, followed by the Turn on Private Sharing option.

Enhanced Data Protection

According to Samsung, the Galaxy S24 and newer models can take advantage of the Enhanced Data Protection feature whenever they sync or backup their data with Samsung Cloud on Galaxy devices. It is said to offer end-to-end encryption for the backed-up data. As per the company, the data stays secure even if the account credentials are stolen or the server is compromised.

Enhanced Data Protection Feature on Samsung Knox
Photo Credit: Samsung

When first enabled, users will be required to note down a recovery code that will come in handy if they lose their device. Samsung says the end-to-end encrypted data cannot be accessed by anyone, including the company itself.