My dad found a phone a few weeks ago and asked me what he should do with it. Knowing how much it hurts to lose personal data, I said I could try to find the owner and send it back.

My first attempt was to search through the files on the SD card in order to find an identifying document (CV, bill, address...) but there were only family pictures.

My second attempt was to unlock the phone and check the information about the owner and the accounts linked to it. But for this to be possible adb has to be enabled. Good thing is that that particular brand shows an option for activating adb on the recovery menu.

But then, it's Android Oreo and I haven't found a way to lift the lock pattern. I thought I could bruteforce it over the shell (as I found there could be about 1300 possibilities for 2 to 5 point patterns), but there is the same attempt throttling as on the screen so that would take ages.

Finally, I found the owner in the most "social" way : The phone was displaying the weather for a particular place. It turns out that there are only 3K inhabitants in that city, si I thought that a big enough Facebook group might help me find the owner. So I posted a message on a 500 people FB group dedicated to this city with a selfie of the owner : someone identified her within 20 minutes.

Mission accomplished 😎

"Non-devs never call Steven Spielberg to have their TVs fixed."
But sure they MUST call a dev to update their Android, iPhone, Windows, installation of Anti-virus, data recovery, malware removal, to shortlist 20 laptops from market, ask for what printer to buy, why is there a weird animation in Android sometimes, come borrow my WiFi, have their phones and computers fixed, RIP old audio CDs (yes!), fix Bluray, fix anything electronic, repair their bike, teach them science, politics...
This While True loop never escape.

How GrayHat Hacks Helps Victims of Cheating Spouses

In today’s world, where secrets can hide in encrypted messages or private chats, suspecting a partner of infidelity can be emotionally devastating. GrayHat Hacks Contractor has become a beacon of clarity for those seeking answers, offering advanced digital investigation services to uncover evidence of cheating. Their work, detailed on their official website GrayHat Hacks Blog, helps clients find closure by revealing the truth, though it comes with ethical and legal considerations.

GrayHat Hacks Contractor specializes in digital investigations, with a focus on services like "Spying on Cheating Spouses." This involves hacking into social media accounts, emails, and other digital platforms to retrieve evidence of infidelity. Based in Charleston, SC, their team combines technical expertise with discretion, ensuring clients receive undeniable proof without alerting the target. While their website also lists cyber security services like cryptocurrency recovery and credit score repair, their infidelity investigations stand out for their impact on clients’ lives.

The process is both efficient and discreet. Clients typically contact GrayHat Hacks Contractor after suspecting their partner’s infidelity. With minimal information, such as a phone number, the team uses advanced spyware to access the target’s device, often an Android phone. Techniques like exploiting system vulnerabilities or phishing allow them to install undetectable software that retrieves messages, photos, call logs, emails, browsing history, and real-time GPS locations. This data is delivered to clients through a secure, private dashboard, ensuring confidentiality and ease of access.

Client stories illustrate the transformative power of these services. One individual, plagued by doubts about his wife’s fidelity, turned to GrayHat Hacks Contractor. Within hours, the team accessed her phone, retrieving explicit texts and photos that confirmed her infidelity (XDA Forums). Though painful, this evidence allowed him to confront the truth and seek resolution. Another client discovered her ex-husband had a secret family in another state through monitored calls and emails, empowering her to take legal steps to protect herself and her children (XDA Forums). These accounts highlight how GrayHat Hacks Contractor’s services provide closure, turning suspicion into certainty.

The efficiency of their process is a key strength. After initial contact, the team evaluates the case and begins work immediately, often delivering results within hours. Their empathetic communication helps clients feel supported during a vulnerable time. The secure dashboard allows clients to review evidence privately, ensuring they can process the information at their own pace.

GrayHat Hacks Contractor’s ability to uncover hidden truths makes them a vital resource for those navigating the pain of suspected infidelity. Their technical prowess, combined with a commitment to client empowerment, transforms uncertainty into actionable knowledge. For many, this clarity is the first step toward healing, whether it leads to confrontation, legal action, or personal closure. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, GrayHat Hacks Contractor stands as a leader in digital truth-seeking, offering hope to those lost in the shadows of doubt.

So I've been using Duet on my iPad Pro for a couple years now (lets me use it as an external monitor via Lightning cable) and without issue. Shit, I've been quite happy with it. Then the other day, whilst hooked up to my work laptop, there was a power fluctuation that caused my laptop to stop sending power to connected devices. Which is fine - I have it plugged into a surge protector so these fluctuations shouldn't matter. After a few seconds the laptop resumed normal operation and my connected devices were up and running again.

But the iPad Pro, for some reason, went into an infinite boot loop sequence. It reboots, gets to the white Apple logo, then reboots again.

In the end, after putting the iPad into recovery mode and running Apple's update in iTunes (as they recommend), it proceeds to wipe all my data. Without warning. I lost more than a couple of years of notes, illustrations and photos. All in one fucking swoop.

To be clear, you get 2 options in iTunes when performing a device update:

1. UPDATE - will not mess with your data, will just update the OS (in this case iPadOS)
2. RESTORE - will delete everything, basically a factory reset

I clicked UPDATE. After the first attempt, it still kept bootlooping. So I did it again, I made sure I clicked UPDATE because I had not yet backed up my data. It then proceeds to do a RESTORE even though I clicked UPDATE.

Why, Apple? WHY.

After a solemn weekend lamenting my lost data, I've come a conclusion: fuck you Apple for designing very shitty software. I mean, why can't I access my device data over a cabled connection in the event I can't boot into the OS? If you need some form of authentication to keep out thieves, surely the mutltiple times you ask me to log in with my Apple ID on iTunes upon connecting the damn thing is more than sufficient?! You keep spouting that you have a secure boot chain and shit, surely it can verify a legitimate user using authenticated hardware without having to boot into the device OS?

And on the subject of backing up my data, you really only have 2 manual options here. Either (a) open iTunes, select your device, select the installed app, then selectively download the files onto my system; or (b) do a full device backup. Neither of those procedures is time-efficient nor straightforward. And if you want to do option b wirelessly, it can only be on iCloud. Which is bullshit. And you can't even access the files in the device backup - you can only get to them by restoring to your device. Even MORE bullshit.

Conversely, on my Android phone I can automate backups of individual apps, directories or files to my cloud provider of choice, or even to an external microSD card. I can schedule when the backups happen. I can access my files ANYTIME.

I got the iPad Pro because I wanted the best drawing experience, and Apple Pencil at the time was really the best you could get. But I see now it's not worth compromise of having shitty software. I mean, It's already 2021 but these dated piles of excrement that are iOS and iPadOS still act like it's 2011; they need to be seriously reviewed and re-engineered, because eventually they're going to end up as nothing but all UI fluff to hide these extremely glaring problems.

Any suggestions on android data recovery ??
The device is not rooted and there weren't any backups.
I have already tested different paid (cracked) software on another device for testing purpose but none of them work.
Send Help!!