Pre-unlock information exposure needs to be controllable
Aliases: lock-screen notification privacy · lock-screen exposure · lock-screen disclosure
What it is
Pre-unlock information exposure control determines what lock screens, notifications, quick actions, voice assistants, and connection surfaces reveal or execute before the device verifies its current holder. Locking applications does not hide copied content: message bodies, verification codes, calendars, contacts, and health notices can leak directly or support later account takeover.
Why it happens
Notifications copy application content onto a system surface for convenience, and devices spend long periods locked. Previews, quick replies, pairing controls, and assistant queries each leak fragments that combine into identity, relationships, and recent activity. One “show/hide notifications” switch is too coarse and forces a convenience–privacy binary. Risk changes with place, wearable proximity, and content class.
Studying it
Inject verification texts, health reminders, meeting titles, private messages, and ordinary notices into test accounts. Inventory visible fields and executable actions after cold start and lock across phone, watch, vehicle, and assistive states. Let participants configure expected exposure and compare it with observation. Include spoken readout, reply, screenshot, USB, and pairing routes—not screenshots alone.
Where it stops holding
Emergency contacts, medical information, and accessibility may need pre-unlock availability, while total concealment can create safety harm. Shoulder surfing differs from an attacker holding a lost device, and notification sharing expands the boundary. Controls should reflect user and content sensitivity rather than treating every message or situation as one level.
Applying it
- Hide bodies, verification codes, and sensitive categories by default, showing only the application or a generic notice until verification.
- Offer per-application and content-type choices for hidden, title-only, and full preview, explaining synced watch and vehicle surfaces.
- Include quick reply, assistant readout, control center, USB data, and new pairing in one pre-unlock capability inventory.
- Release-test in a genuinely locked state, verifying propagation across surfaces and persistence through updates.