Kaspersky Secure Mobility Management

The help for this version of the solution is no longer updated, so it may contain outdated information. For up-to-date information about the solution refer to the Kaspersky Secure Mobility Management 4.1 Help.

Restricting Android features on devices

You can restrict Android operating system features in device owner mode. For example, you can restrict factory reset, changing credentials, use of Google Play and Google Chrome, file transfer over USB, changing location settings, and manage system updates.

You can restrict Android features in the Feature restrictions section.

To open the Feature restrictions section:

1. In the console tree, in the Managed devices folder, select the administration group to which the Android devices belong.
2. In the workspace of the group, select the Policies tab.
3. Open the policy properties window by double-clicking any column.
4. In the policy Properties window, select the Device owner mode > Feature restrictions section.

Restrict device features

On the Device Features tab of the Feature restrictions section, you can enable or disable the following features:

• Prohibit factory reset

  Selecting or clearing this check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to perform a factory reset from device settings.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit screen capture

  Selecting or clearing this check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to take screenshots or capture the device screen.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit outgoing phone calls

  Selecting or clearing this check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to make outgoing phone calls on this device.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit sending and receiving SMS messages

  Selecting or clearing this check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to send and receive SMS messages on this device.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit changing credentials

  Selecting or clearing this check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to change user credentials in the operating system.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit status bar (Android 6.0 or later)

  Preventing the status bar from being displayed.

  If the check box is selected, the status bar is not displayed on the device. Notifications and quick settings accessible via the status bar are also blocked.

  If the check box is cleared, the status bar can be displayed on the device.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 6.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit safe boot (Android 6.0 or later)

  Selecting or clearing this check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to boot the device in safe mode.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 6.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Force screen on when plugged in to AC charger (Android 6.0 or later)

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies if the device screen will be on while the device is charging with an AC charger.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 6.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Force screen on when plugged in to USB charger (Android 6.0 or later)

  Selecting or clearing of the check box specifies whether the device screen will be on while the device is charging via a USB charger.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 6.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Force screen on when plugged in to wireless charger (Android 6.0 or later)

  Selecting or clearing this check box specifies whether the device screen will be on while the device is charging via a wireless charger.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 6.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

Restrict app features

On the Apps tab of the Feature restrictions section, you can enable or disable the following features:

• Prohibit use of camera

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to use all cameras on the device.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit camera toggle (Android 12.0 or later)

  Preventing the device user from toggling the camera.

  If the check box is selected, the device user cannot block the camera access via the system toggle.

  If the check box is cleared, the device user is allowed to use the camera toggle.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 12.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit use of Google Play

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to use Google Play.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit use of Google Chrome

  Preventing use of Google Chrome.

  If the check box is selected, the device user cannot start Google Chrome or configure it in system settings.

  If the check box is cleared, the device user is allowed to use Google Chrome on the device.

  The check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit use of Google Assistant

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to use Google Assistant on the device.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit installation of apps from unknown sources

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to install apps from unknown sources.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit modification of apps in Settings

  Preventing modifying apps in Settings.

  If the check box is selected, the device user is disallowed to perform the following actions:

  • Uninstalling apps
  • Disabling apps
  • Clearing app caches
  • Clearing app data
  • Force stopping apps
  • Clearing app defaults

    If the check box is cleared, the device user is allowed to modify apps in Settings.

    This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit installation of apps

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to install apps on the device.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit uninstallation of apps

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether a device user is allowed to uninstall apps from this device.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit disabling app verification

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to disable app verification.

  This check box is cleared by default.

Restrict storage features

On the Storage tab of the Feature restrictions section, you can enable or disable the following features:

• Prohibit debugging features

  Preventing use of debugging features.

  If the check box is selected, the device user cannot use USB debugging features and developer mode.

  If the check box is cleared, the device user is allowed to enable and access debugging features and developer mode.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit mounting physical external media

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to mount physical external media, such as SD cards and OTG adapters.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit file transfer over USB

  Selecting or clearing this check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to transfer files over USB.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit backup service (Android 8.0 or later)

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to enable or disable the backup service.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 8.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

Restrict network features

On the Network tab of the Feature restrictions section, you can enable or disable the following features:

• Prohibit use of Wi-Fi

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to use Wi-Fi and configure it in Settings.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit use of Bluetooth (Android 8.0 or later)

  Preventing use of Bluetooth.

  If the check box is selected, the device user cannot turn on and configure Bluetooth via Settings.

  If the check box is cleared, the device user is allowed to use Bluetooth.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 8.0 and later. For earlier versions of Android, select the Prohibit use of Bluetooth check box in the Device Management section.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit changing Wi-Fi settings

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to configure Wi-Fi access points via Settings. The restriction does not affect Wi-Fi tethering settings.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit changing pre-configured Wi-Fi networks

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to change Wi-Fi configurations added by the administrator in the Wi-Fi section.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit changing Bluetooth settings

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to configure Bluetooth via Settings.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit changing VPN settings

  Preventing changing VPN settings.

  If the check box is selected, the device user cannot configure a VPN in Settings and VPNs are prohibited from starting.

  If the check box is cleared, the device user is allowed to modify a VPN in Settings.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit changing mobile network settings

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to change mobile network settings.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit use of Android Beam via NFC

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether beaming out data from apps via NFC is allowed on the device. However, the device user can enable or disable NFC.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit use of tethering

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether the device user is allowed to configure tethering and hotspots.

  This check box is cleared by default.

• Prohibit outgoing data sharing over Bluetooth (Android 8.0 or later)

  Selecting or clearing the check box specifies whether outgoing Bluetooth data sharing is allowed on the device.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 8.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

Restrict location services

On the Location Services tab of the Feature restrictions section, you can configure the following settings:

• Prohibit use of location

  Preventing turning location on and off.

  If the check box is selected, the device user cannot turn location on or off. Search in Anti-Theft mode becomes unavailable.

  If the check box is cleared, the device user can turn location on or off.

  This check box is cleared by default.

  If both the Prohibit use of location and Prohibit changing location settings (Android 9.0 and later) check boxes are selected, location is disabled and the device user cannot enable it.

• Prohibit changing location settings (Android 9.0 or later)

  Preventing changing location settings.

  If the check box is selected, the device user cannot change location settings or disable location.

  If the check box is cleared, the device user can change location settings.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 9.0 or later.

  This check box is cleared by default.

  If both the Prohibit use of location and Prohibit changing location settings (Android 9.0 and later) check boxes are selected, location is disabled and the device user cannot enable it.

Restrict system updates

Managing update settings on mobile devices is vendor-specific. On some Android devices, the restriction on manual installation of operating system updates may work incorrectly.

On the Updates tab of the Feature restrictions section, you can configure the following settings:

• Set system update policy

  Type of system update policy.

  If the check box is selected, one of the following system update policies is set:

  • Install updates automatically. Installs system updates immediately without user interaction. This option is selected by default.
  • Install updates during daily window. Installs system updates during a daily maintenance window without user interaction.

    The administrator also needs to set the start and end of the daily maintenance window in the Start time and End time fields respectively.

  • Postpone updates for 30 days. Postpones the installation of system updates for 30 days.

    After the specified period, the operating system prompts the device user to install the updates. The period is reset and starts again if a new system update is available.

    If the check box is cleared, a system update policy is not set.

    This check box is selected by default.

    Managing update settings on mobile devices is vendor-specific. On some Android devices, the restriction on manual installation of operating system updates may work incorrectly.

• System update freeze periods (Android 9.0 and later)

  The System update freeze periods (Android 9.0 and later) block lets you set one or more freeze periods of up to 90 days during which system updates will not be installed on the device. When the device is in a freeze period, it behaves as follows:

  • The device does not receive any notifications about pending system updates.
  • System updates are not installed.
  • The device user cannot check for system updates manually.

    To add a freeze period, click Add period and enter the start and end of the freeze period in the Start time and End time fields respectively.

  Note: Each freeze period can be at most 90 days long, and the interval between adjacent freeze periods must be at least 60 days.

  The restriction is supported on devices with Android 9.0 and later.

  Managing update settings on mobile devices is vendor-specific. On some Android devices, the restriction on manual installation of operating system updates may work incorrectly.