Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Redwall Technologies products

Frequently asked product questions


Redwall is a completely different approach to mobile security, and has little in common with security apps on your phone or dedicated secure devices. Because of this revolutionary approach, we hope the following FAQ will answer some of your immediate questions. If we can help in any way and answer more, please let us know. For more technical questions, please see the tech FAQ.

I already have a dual-persona phone, so how is Redwall different?
  1. Dual-persona phones or software that enables dual personas is generally designed as a convenience feature, and then rebranded as a security product. They rarely offer protection from even trivial attacks.
  2. Redwall is an multi-persona system, not just dual-persona. So users could have a personal use mode with games and social media apps, then a second mode more private apps such as online banking and pharmacies, then a third for work and enterprise-related apps while onsite, and a forth hidden mode for offsite access to enterprise resources.
  3. Finally, Redwall personas are isolated not only with encryption but also temporally; meaning that when you switch from one to the other, your data is saved and unloaded from memory. This patent-pending isolation technique makes it impossible for one persona to leak data to another.
How is Redwall different from MDMs or other apps?
Redwall Mobile and MDMs, containers, VPNs and other solutions are more complimentary than they are competitive.

Since the security of MDMs and containers is completely dependent on the underlying system, once hackers target the OS, MDMs are no longer effective as security products. Because smartphones without Redwall are highly vulnerable to exploits that are widely available on the Internet, so are MDMs and secure containers.

MDM apps may themselves also be targeted by attackers, and malware can successfully penetrate and steal encryption keys and data from these apps.

Redwall Mobile, in contrast, is baked-in to a device's firmware, and is not an app. This allows Redwall to actually protect the operating system and the MDMs or container apps, and allow them all to operate in a safer manner.

While Redwall Mobile does have some device management features, such as the ability to install apps or remotely erase or lock a device, it likely won't replace your MDM solution. In fact, existing management solutions can easily manage Redwall Mobile policies and data.
My phone already has security software, do I need Redwall?
Existing security solutions, ranging from virus scanners to VPNs, all make one very dangerous assumption: that the underlying operating system and device have no bugs, are invulnerable to malware, rooting, and other attacks. Reading the news over the last several years tells us that this is certainly not true, and that in fact attackers are getting better by the day.

Redwall was designed not to replace these apps, but to protect them and allow them to function without worrying about hackers. By operating at multiple levels inside, around, and beneath the operating system, Redwall Mobile makes devices far more resilient, and allows security apps to do what they were designed to do safely.
How does Redwall update its threat database?
Redwall uses behavioral vs taxonomic analysis: so it is effective against both known and unknown threats without needing connectivity to servers, signatures, or patches to thwart new exploits.

There is no database that needs updating, no weekly updates or patch cycle to worry about, and no panicking to respond to a new type or version of malware.
How do I install Redwall?
With the most secure devices, Redwall Mobile comes built in, and there is no need to install it. Ask you IT department or system administrator for details on activating your Redwall features.

For those mobile devices that are less secure, Redwall may be flashed on to your supported device. Redwall Mobile is currently available to government agencies and enterprises, and not available to individuals consumers except under special circumstances. Please contact us and we will happily connect you to a sales representative.

For other devices, such as embedded devices (e.g., IoT, in-vehicle entertainment systems), Redwall is part of the firmware, and there is no need to install anything nor to connect to any servers to use Redwall. Device manufacturers that are interested in embedding Redwall, please contact us.
What devices are supported?
Redwall Mobile supports numerous Android devices running KitKat or later. As life cycles for mobile devices can be anywhere from six months to three years, we recommend contacting us for the most current list.

iOS devices are not currently supported.
Can my IT department or the government see my personal data?
No. If you have a persona for work, and allow your IT department to install an MDM or other tools in that persona, those tools can not, under any circumstances and under no configuration, see or delete your personal data, settings, apps, browsing history, or any of your personal data.

Conversely, any social media apps or games that may leak data from your device (e.g., by sharing your location or photo library) can not see any data from your work persona, or any other data from any other persona.

It is possible, however, to install MDM and other tools into all personas, which would allow the audit trail and monitoring some agencies and enterprises require.
Is Redwall compatible with my apps?
Yes. Unlike containers or hypervisors, Redwall requires no modifications to apps, no porting of any kind, and no special API. The more than one million apps on the Google Play store all work as-is on Redwall-enabled Android devices. Your custom enterprise apps will also work, as long as they do not require rooting the device (cryptographic signatures of your apps are required to match installed versions if integrity monitoring is enabled).
How much of my data plan will Redwall use?
Redwall Mobile is not cloud-based and requires no connectivity to work. Remote management and app install may use mobile data, but not significantly more so that a device without Redwall.
How do I switch between work and home profiles?
There are several automatic and user-controlled methods to switch between Redwall modes (personas). These include:

Using the Redwall app - a system app lists the available modes and allows you to select the one you want.
Location based - Redwall Mobile can automatically switch modes based on your location or proximity to other devices or networks (or other sensor or contextual data).
"Hidden" modes - modes may be hidden from view and entered only through a certain series of non-obvious steps (e.g., receiving a text from a certain number or performing a series of operations in the built-in Android calculator).

Your enterprise may also easily design controls into their custom apps.
I heard rooting was dangerous, so is Redwall safe?
Redwall does not root your device, and in fact blocks root access and privilege escalation attempts in a way other Android-based or app-based solutions cannot.
Did you know...

  • Interested in partnering? Redwall frequently partners with both defense primes and other small businesses.
  • Redwall is an all US company employing only US citizens, and has staff that can meet your security requirements.
  • Redwall Mobile security policies are field-updatable, but can also enforce minimal, immutable settings.
  • Redwall Mobile can perform attestation on a device, run device-level integrity checks, and take advantage of any trusted boot features.
  • Redwall Mobile policies control access to networks, files, peripherals, services, apps, and any resource.
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