Is there a Brick Function In GingerBread - Thunderbolt Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

There is a function I found in gingerbread that allows an app to "disable the entire phone permanently". I found this when searching through the framework.apk.
My questions are:
First am I right about this being a feature, because the text is definitely there?
Is this an enable feature that is accessible to apps with root access?
Is this a feature that would allow the MFG to disable the phone remotely?
Can this feature be removed?

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In before "this should be in Q&A".
OP - Highly doubt it...

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Code:
<string name="permlab_brick">permanently disable phone</string>
<string name="permdesc_brick">Allows the application to disable the entire phone permanently. This is very dangerous.</string>
These are the lines in the framework-res.apk
/res/values/strings.xml

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Who knew Doctor Doom was on the HTC development team?

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Could this be related to the lost or stolen phone service?
Could potentially be useful if you stayed logged in to PayPal or other banking institutions web sites.
Report the device,
Device becomes bricked.
No more stolen phones being sold and flashed to cricket or the likes.
sent from a sweet paper weight.

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So, can we find out what this actually does?

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g00s3y said:
In before "this should be in Q&A".
OP - Highly doubt it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
damn your just hittin all the threads with the "this should be in the Q&A department" today. thank god your here to police!

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Since this thread is about weird applications, I decided to mess around with the build prop a little one day and test my limits with the dalvik heap and the density sizes
I set the dalvik heap to a insane size to see what it would do, Rosie went for a loop and some random application called "multiple packages " requested su... I denied it because I have no idea what iit was but what the hell was it?
>--The Game--<

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superchilpil said:
Since this thread is about weird applications, I decided to mess around with the build prop a little one day and test my limits with the dalvik heap and the density sizes
I set the dalvik heap to a insane size to see what it would do, Rosie went for a loop and some random application called "multiple packages " requested su... I denied it because I have no idea what iit was but what the hell was it?
>--The Game--<
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Multiple packages would be like the bamf tool kit and such. Any kind of native app that requests su permissions.
Sent from my ThunderBolt using XDA Premium App

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just something amuzing to add to that if you get into the classes.dex in services check this out
theres a file called "brick reciever"
Code:
.class public Lcom/android/server/BrickReceiver;
.super Landroid/content/BroadcastReceiver;
.source "BrickReceiver.java"
# direct methods
.method public constructor <init>()V
.registers 1
.prologue
.line 25
invoke-direct {p0}, Landroid/content/BroadcastReceiver;-><init>()V
return-void
.end method
# virtual methods
.method public onReceive(Landroid/content/Context;Landroid/content/Intent;)V
.registers 5
.parameter "context"
.parameter "intent"
.prologue
.line 28
const-string v0, "BrickReceiver"
const-string v1, "!!! BRICKING DEVICE !!!"
invoke-static {v0, v1}, Landroid/util/Slog;->w(Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/String;)I
.line 29
const-string v0, "brick"
invoke-static {v0}, Landroid/os/SystemService;->start(Ljava/lang/String;)V
.line 30
return-void
.end method

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These probably all have to do with the "lock phone" and "erase phone" features of htcsense.com
I'm pretty sure the thunderbolt wasn't officially htcsense.com supported until GB.. could be wrong just trying to not fear monger

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Where can I find the tin foil hats ya'll wearing?

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imneveral0ne said:
damn your just hittin all the threads with the "this should be in the Q&A department" today. thank god your here to police!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, do you really follow my posts that much, that's kind of creepy. Considering there were only 2 threads that I did it in, and they were both posted around the exact time I signed on, well things happen. But still, you are kind of creepy, please stay away, thanks.

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The brick command is several android versions. I know at least back to Froyo had it, maybe even Eclair. But yea, an app would have to declare that it wants rights to that permission. There are also apps that can detect which apps have access to it and block the rights. Check out privacy blocker in the market from Stericson I think? But you guys are right, its used for admins to be able to brick a lost or stolen phone remotely, its part of the enterprise android features say if the phone had sensitive data.
This is stuff I have read a few times, and I'm pretty sure it's accurate, I may not be dead on though.

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mjones1052 said:
The brick command is several android versions. I know at least back to Froyo had it, maybe even Eclair. But yea, an app would have to declare that it wants rights to that permission. There are also apps that can detect which apps have access to it and block the rights. Check out privacy blocker in the market from Stericson I think? But you guys are right, its used for admins to be able to brick a lost or stolen phone remotely, its part of the enterprise android features say if the phone had sensitive data.
This is stuff I have read a few times, and I'm pretty sure it's accurate, I may not be dead on though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a system administrator and for kicks I did a remote kill from one of our exchange servers to my phone (after a nandroid backup) and all it does is a factory reset. It literally just pops up with the factory reset screen and then reboots after a second and it is back to stock. No bricking.
dwizzy130

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Why are people always thinking cell phone companies will or even can kill you phone?

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dalrym05 said:
Why are people always thinking cell phone companies will or even can kill you phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its the radiation that emits from the cell phone signals finally getting into their brains.

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dalrym05 said:
Why are people always thinking cell phone companies will or even can kill you phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because big brother is watching, he is always watching. Man. (<--sarcasm)
Sent from my super duper deluxe rooted re-romed Thunderbolt. ( and yes, it can also wash my car AND do the dishes)

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I Just found it interesting
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App

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ThunderStick said:
There is a function I found in gingerbread that allows an app to "disable the entire phone permanently". I found this when searching through the framework.apk.
My questions are:
First am I right about this being a feature, because the text is definitely there?
Is this an enable feature that is accessible to apps with root access?
Is this a feature that would allow the MFG to disable the phone remotely?
Can this feature be removed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brick permission is even in aosp, nothing new.
Any app with root access can disable the phone (brick) without using the brick api
just wipe out hboot, and the phone wont ever boot again.