Device Lock-down With EHS

Enterprise Browser 3.5

Overview

For applications that require tight control over device settings and apps, Enterprise Browser 1.6 and higher can integrate with Enterprise Home Screen, Zebra's free Android solution that can lock users out of all but the apps and settings that a company wants them to see. In just a few minutes, EHS can be configured to show a selected set of apps, limit device usage to a single, auto-launched app (via "Kiosk Mode"), prevent changes to device settings, lock out HOME and BACK keys, and much more.

All EHS settings are stored in the enterprisehomescreen.xml, a human-readable file and is easily edited by hand can be deployed via MDM. This guide contains the basic steps for editing the EHS config file to:

  • Launch an EB app into Kiosk Mode, which prevents quitting and changing of device settings
  • Display an EB app in User Mode, which shows only desired apps and prevents changing of device settings

Prerequisites

  • A Windows or Mac OS X computer
  • A USB cable connecting the computer to a Zebra Android device via ADB
  • EHS and Enterprise Browser installed on the device
  • Any other desired device apps installed and working properly

For more information, including EHS download, setup and deployment instructions, see the Enterprise Home Screen documentation.

Kiosk Mode

Kiosk Mode allows devices to run a single application that cannot be exited. Examples include retail price checkers, auto parts look-ups, patient check-in systems and so on. Kiosk Mode also can be useful when dedicating a device to a single user and/or task, such as a retail clerk's hand-held barcode scanner. Kiosk Mode opens the app in full-screen mode and prevents exit by blocking the BACK and HOME keys.

Android Platform Notes:
  • On devices running Android 5.x Lollipop, Kiosk Mode should not be used with Screen Pinning, an Android L feature that works in a similar way.
  • On devices running Android 4.4 KitKat, a "please wait" prompt remains displayed when starting up the device in Kiosk Mode. Press the HOME key to launch the Kiosk-Mode app and resume normal behavior.
Kiosk Mode tags:

<kiosk> - Specifies the app that will run when Kiosk mode is enabled

<kiosk_mode_enabled> - Toggles the feature on and off

Enable Kiosk Mode

Before proceeding, be sure that the Kiosk Mode app is installed and working properly. Zebra recommends starting these instructions by editing the default enterprisehomescreen.xml file, which is found in the /enterprise/usr directory on the device with Enterprise Home Screen installed.

In the enterprisehomescreen.xml file:

  1. Specify the Kiosk app label, package and activity (optional) in the <kiosk> section of the config file (shown below), replacing any pre-existing data.
  2. Enter a value of "1" in the <kiosk_mode_enabled> tag in the Preferences section of the file.
  3. If USB Debugging is desired in Kiosk Mode, enter a value of "0" in the <usb_debugging_disabled> tag (see Disable Kiosk Mode for more info).
  4. Remove all apps from the <applications> section.
  5. Make any other required changes in the file.
  6. Save and push the enterprisehomescreen.xml file to the device; changes take effect immediately.

Once the enterprisehomescreen.xml file is pushed to the device, the named app will launch in full-screen mode and BACK and HOME keys will be disabled. For exiting instructions, see Disable Kiosk Mode section, below.

Security Note: When using Kiosk Mode, Zebra recommends configuring the EB app to disable "key remapping" and other possible methods of launching applications, which would thereby defeat Kiosk Mode safeguards.

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Disable Kiosk Mode

Once Kiosk Mode is enabled, it can be disabled in only one of two ways (without writing custom program code):

  • If USB Debugging was not disabled for User Mode, disable Kiosk Mode by pushing to the device a config file with a value of "0" in the <kiosk_mode_enabled> tag.

  • If USB Debugging was disabled for User Mode, perform a factory reset.

For more information about Kiosk mode, including UI and programmatic access, and working with the enterprisehomescreen.xml file, see the Advanced Settings and Special Features sections of the EHS documentation.

User Mode

User Mode is the default state for EHS. When EHS is running on a device, all apps on the device or installed later are hidden unless they're listed in the <applications> section of the enterprisehomescreen.xml file (shown below). For an application to be shown in User Mode (and available to a user), it must be specified in this list as detailed below. Start with the default enterprisehomescreen.xml file, which is found in the /enterprise/usr directory on the device with Enterprise Home Screen installed.

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Add apps to User Mode

Before proceeding, be sure that any apps desired for User Mode are installed and working properly.

In the enterprisehomescreen.xml file:

  1. Specify the app label and package (and optional activity) in the <applications> section of the config file (shown above).
  2. Enter (or confirm) a value of "0" in the <kiosk_mode_enabled> tag in the Preferences section of the file.
  3. Push the enterprisehomescreen.xml file to the device; changes take effect immediately.

Once the enterprisehomescreen.xml file is pushed to the device, the specified apps will be visible whenever the device is in User Mode.

Mass Deployment

A solution that uses EHS to lock down an EB app can be mass-deployed using Zebra StageNow or a compatible MDM system, provided the system is capable of setting an Android app as the default Launcher for the device.

Zebra recommends testing all apps and configuration files on a working device before general deployment.

Required files:

  • EHS installation package (.apk file)
  • EHS enterprisehomescreen.xml file configured as desired
  • EB installation package (.apk file)
  • EB config.xml file configured as desired
  • EB start-page file (if launched from the device)

To mass deploy an EB app locked down with EHS:

  1. Create an installation package containing the required files listed above.
  2. Set StageNow (or a compatible MDM system) to:
  • Deploy enterprisehomescreen.xml to the /enterprise/usr device directory.
  • Check the device for a /<internal_mem_root_dir>/EnterpriseBrowser/ directory. Create if necessary.
  • Deploy config.xml to the /<internal_mem_root_dir>/EnterpriseBrowser/ directory.
  • Deploy and launch EB.
  • Deploy and launch EHS.
  • Set EHS as the default Launcher and set it to launch on device startup.
  • Restart the device.

On every subsequent restart, EHS will automatically run, and depending on the enterprisehomescreen.xml file, will launch the Kiosk Mode app or display the apps specified for User Mode.

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