Keep Your Connection Secure Without a Monthly Bill.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Is Factory Reset Protection more trouble than it's worth? Let us know in the comment section below, or drop us a line on Android Hacks' Facebook or Twitter, or on Gadget Hacks' Facebook, Google+, or Twitter. But the rest of Android's security measures would still be in place, so no one could access your data without your pattern, PIN, or password. Theoretically, a tech-savvy thief could fully wipe your device with this option enabled, which means you would no longer be able to track the device's location using Android Device Manager. Keep in mind, though, that having the "OEM unlocking" option enabled is technically less secure.
Once you've done that, you can rest a lot easier knowing that a failed update no longer has the potential to render your device useless.
If an over-the-air firmware update does not install properly for any reason, you'd be left with a completely bricked device. While the "OEM unlocking" setting being turned off by default does indeed have some security benefits, it comes with one major risk. Why Enabling 'OEM Unlocking' Can Save You from a Bricked Device This setting is called "OEM unlocking," and it works because you need to sign in to Android with your pattern, PIN, or password to enable it before you can flash anything with fastboot.
So to bolster FRP on devices with unlockable bootloaders like the Nexus series, Google added a hidden setting within Android that prevents bootloader unlocking and makes fastboot flashing impossible unless it's enabled. However, devices with unlockable bootloaders were still vulnerable considering that someone could unlock the bootloader, which would allow them to use fastboot commands to flash factory images and bypass Factory Reset Protection. To make sure they were in compliance, Google implemented a new Android feature called Factory Reset Protection, which ensures that even if a device is fully wiped, it cannot be used unless the original owner signs in with their account credentials.
From that point on, all new devices would need to have extra security measures implemented to be in compliance with this law, and more importantly, to be eligible for sale in America's most populous state. In August of 2014, the state of California signed SB-962-the so-called "Smartphone Kill Switch" law-and this had some major repercussions on Android. Background Info: Kill Switch Law & Factory Reset Protection If you'd like to know why this option can cause your device to become bricked, I'll explain it all below.