Firmware communication protocol and implementation thereof
Fastboot is acommunication protocol used primarily withAndroid devices.[1] It is implemented in acommand-line interface tool of the same name and as a mode of thebootloader of Android devices. The tool is included with theAndroid SDK package and used primarily to modify theflashfilesystem via aUSB connection from a host computer. It requires that the device be started inFastboot mode. If the mode is enabled, it will accept a specific set of commands,[2] sent throughUSB bulk transfers. Fastboot on some devices allowsunlocking the bootloader, and subsequently, enables installing customrecovery image andcustom ROM on the device. Fastboot does not requireUSB debugging to be enabled on the device.[3] To use fastboot, a specific combination of keys must be held during boot.[4]
Not all Android devices have fastboot enabled,[5] and Android device manufacturers are allowed to choose if they want to implement fastboot or some other protocol.[6]
The keys that have to be pressed for fastboot differ for various vendors.[7]
HTC, Google Pixel, Motorola, and Xiaomi: Power and volume down
Zebra and symbol devices: Right scan/action button
Sony: Power and volume up
Google Nexus: Power, volume up and volume down
On Samsung devices, (excluding the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus devices), power, volume down and home has to be pressed for enteringODIN mode. This is a proprietary protocol, and tool, as an alternative to fastboot. The tool has a partialalternative.
^Drake, Joshua J. (2014).Android hacker's handbook. Zach Lanier, Collin Mulliner, Pau Oliva, Stephen A. Ridley, Georg Wicherski. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley.ISBN978-1-118-60861-6.OCLC875820167.
^Tahiri, Soufiane (2016).Mastering mobile forensics : develop the capacity to dig deeper into device data acquisition. Birmingham, UK.ISBN978-1-78528-106-8.OCLC952135850.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Hay, R. (2017). fastboot oem vuln: Android bootloader vulnerabilities in vendor customizations. In11thUSENIX Workshop on Offensive Technologies (WOOT 17).