Develop Bugs

Raise Concerns to HTC - HTC Restricting Full unlock (S-OFF)

Today I spotted this blog item http://blog.htc.com/2012/04/your-phone-your-thoughts-tell-us-what-you-think/ I think we should start post our concerns about not being able to gain a proper unlock.
(1) fastboot boot awesomeRecovery.img (this works because fastboot then boots recovery on the boot/temporary partition. So the you're not actually in recovery mode
(2) Offmode (this works because again you're again not technically in recovery mode. It uses the recovery ramdisk, kernel, and binaries but its still not technically recovery.
On that note I've seen suggestions that it's possibly a recovery issue with cwm and twrp. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be the case. If it were then in CWM u wouldn't have usb when u fastboot boot the recovery or in offmode (fair assumption since both these options use the same kernel, ramdisk and binaries as recovery?). Can it be fix? Not that i know of. It looks to me like a total radio or bootloader lockout from using USB in recovery. Which means on a radio or bootloader level USB is disabled in recovery mode.
On that note I think we should raise the point to HTC that this locking down of the device does not suite our needs.Key points of fail would be as follows.
(1) Can NOT flash the boot partition from recovery. I've personally contacted HTC on this numerous times and they seem to just not care. Responding with "It's a security issue" and so forth. I would love to know how this is a security issue of any sort. Every other Android device has this ability except HTC devices since they started the HTC unlock ordeal. It's utter fail IMHO and HTC should listen to our needs .
(2) Can NOT flash recovery or boot partitions from system. This issue is NOT a deal breaker and isn't so bad when it comes down to the nitty gritty. But since the issue above exists, flashing with applications like htc dumlock and such were our only options. These work around apps cant be used to flash now because of the lockpout from system and it wouldn't be such an issue if HTC didnt lock us out in recovery from flashing boot.
(3) Can NOT flash P*IMG.zips in hboot/bootloader anymore. For the unlocked device running a custom firmware this is a must. Specially when radio updates and such are needed from the OEM. We seen a big use of this on the Sensation when HTC updated the device from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich. The update required new hboots, radios, and partitioning to actually use. So in that instead of having to flash a RUU Which didn't exist the only choice was to flash a custom P*IMG.zip that included all the radios and images need to run the builds. At this point we can't update those image/partitions without flashing an RUU. This makes no since and doesn't seem to do anything but make things more difficult on the unlocker to customize and modify their device.
(4) If all the conditions above HAVE to exist. Then why not give us documentation or utilities to flash fimware.zips from recovery like HTC does? When HTC was the proud Nexus device there was full support and documentation available on how to flash firmware on their devices. This made anyone choosing an HTC device blessed with knowing that their device was not only open and unlocked, but when flashing firmware that it was being flashed correctly to Google and HTC's standards. This code has now been moved out of recovery since right before the move to edify scripting and moved to vendor/htc/ (not arguing this choice as thats where it belongs from a maintaining point of view). But the problem is that vendor/htc is proprietary now. Which means Documentation and support for flashing firmware correctly is not available and left to developers of recoveries for the community to figure out. One would think if HTC was standing behind us that they would step up and give us a PROPER/OPEN/REAL unlock, or if they cant for the lame excuse of security concerns, then give us the documentation and utilities to flash the boot and firmware partitions properly. I mean really... what is there to lose there?
(5) WHAT WAS THE POINT OF HTC UNLOCK? It was to reach out and accept us as a community. It was to keep us from having to exploit their firmware and look for holes to gain control of a device we rightfully own. WHAT DID HTC UNLOCK DO? It unlocked the devices at first and with each new revision of the unlock it gets more locked down and harder for us to use it as intended. WHAT DOES THAT LEAD TO? It leads to us hoping someone will take the time out of their life and exploit HTC's firmware so we can have access and control of our devices. I mean, it's bad when u have people poking a device with a paperclip to get a device unlocked to avoid a official unlock.
Bottom line; I'm personally fed up with HTC's unlock. It's absolute crap! It does not serve the purpose it was intended and only makes things harder then they were before. As a devoted HTC customer it has me questioning if my next device will be an HTC. With all the other options that would allow me to spend less time trying to gain proper access to my device and more time actually having fun with it, why choose HTC? Everyone else is shying away for these same issues. Everyone with an HTC unlocked device waits for someone to exploit HTC's firmware and give them a proper unlock. Why not just choose a device without the locked down/unlock instead? IDK but HTC needs to step up and listen to us. Every HTC forum with an HTC Unlock is screaming for these issues to be fixed.
My call to HTC is to fix these issue and/or give us proper documentation on flashing firmware to our devices via custom recoveries. The boot flashing lockout is dumb, pointless, and in NO WAY a security threat AT ALL and is nothing more then a CRAP RESPONSE to something that they sould be working to correct, instead of ignoring. In the end its hurting HTC's relations with developers and is ultimately doing the opposite of what it's original intent.
HTC, PLEASE READ AND LISTEN!!!11ONEone
To everyone else, SPREAD THE WORD!!!ONEone
This is the future of HTC unlock and each new device it gets worse. Maybe HTC will listen and address these issues, then again maybe we will just need to find another OEM that supports us and does listen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From this thread : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=25407373&postcount=19
I have posted the same in Facebook Page and Tweeted it. I think we should be more aggressive.

what about groubal?

Posted anyway :s
"There has been overwhelmingly customer feedback that people want access to open bootloaders on HTC phones. I want you to know that we've listened. Today, I'm confirming we will no longer be locking the bootloaders on our devices. Thanks for your passion, support and patience," Peter Chou, CEO of HTC
Please S-Off your devices as promised, your unlock is not a true unlock and it is still heavily restricted. We can't flash official RUUs in this weak htc-dev unlocked state! Please fulfil your promise!

You have some valid points, but you do realise us tinkerers aren't htc's only customers right? Most businessmen now use smartphones like the one X and they certainly do not fiddle with their phones, nor do they accept that their phone comes with serious security flaws potentially opening their device up to strangers or corporate espionage. This point, however, could be used both for and against this fact. For example, if HTC officially provided S-OFF via htcdev then they could avoid people developing exploits for their device while also causing the device to be factory reset when it is applied. The downside of this is their products could get a reputation for being unstable or whatever (people seeing my device for example, and getting the idea that all one X's are on the verge of exploding)

That doesn't seem to be an issue for Google or Samsung, so I don't think its a really valid point.

Rekoil said:
You have some valid points, but you do realise us tinkerers aren't htc's only customers right? Most businessmen now use smartphones like the one X and they certainly do not fiddle with their phones, nor do they accept that their phone comes with serious security flaws potentially opening their device up to strangers or corporate espionage. This point, however, could be used both for and against this fact. For example, if HTC officially provided S-OFF via htcdev then they could avoid people developing exploits for their device while also causing the device to be factory reset when it is applied. The downside of this is their products could get a reputation for being unstable or whatever (people seeing my device for example, and getting the idea that all one X's are on the verge of exploding)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand mate .. That's why the S-OFF should be optional. I personally working in a co-operate enviorment most of the them won't go for Android since our enterprise applcation doesn't work well (Like deployment of software apps etc.) most of them prefer Blackberry for Windows based phone. That's why Windows 8 phone comes with secure boot and large scale application deployment with same tools used in Windows so they can convert the remaining BB users to Windows. Android has a long way to get attention from enterprise users. For now think it's an entertainment OS. Sony went a long way in this case they allow complete unlock even help FreeXperiaTeam with development of CM. Sooner or later our devs will find a way to S-OFF why not HTC offer it proactively and creative a good will against devs like Sony did.

S-off on any HTC phone do not I repeat do not open any other security issue ie a business would not leave such possibility open some business develop there own software for phones etc and still do they was doing it with the old pda phones and HTC pda phones with HTC to stop locking there phones allows this option again to a business.
A business wouldn't leave a device open as they would lock them there selfs via encryption etc so people arguing over its opening security holes is an invalid point other devices are open ie Samsung etc so why not HTC all other HTC that have been exploited to allow the same hasn't broken any security regarding networks or the ability to change serials etc as this info is on a write once chip and can not be over written like some other devices in past
The reply from HTC ceo has just made my day it's great news I just hope it true to the word
And believe it or not there loads of corporate business are using android devices to its full existent well here in the uk they are as its such a powerful operating system and not just for entertainment I speak from experience I use my phone for business and use a lot of business apps etc so my phone is not just for entertainment purposes etc
Everyone's concern over security is a fair statement but not valid reason not to unlock and am glad to hear HTC agree now.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

@dryan433: Dude, what are you talking about? Have you ever heard about something called punctuation or capital letters?
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

Frequently Asked Questions Verizon HTC One (M7)

[SIZE=+3]Frequently Asked Questions[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+2]Verizon HTC One (M7wlv)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]This a short list of frequently asked questions in this device forum and the answers often given as a response. It should serve as a starting point for gathering knowledge and finding solutions to many common problems. Please only post in this thread with feedback on how to improve this document. Do not post "Thank you" type responses. If you have additional questions or require more help, try to find an existing thread or create your own. Do not use this as a general help thread.[/SIZE]​
[SIZE=+1]Q1: What's the difference between "Development" and "Original Development"?[/SIZE]
Here are the rough guidelines as to what should be placed in "Original Development":
*Official release of highly original and upstream custom ROMs (built from the ground up with significant original development within them).
*Official releases/development of such original ROMs, perhaps posted by the maintainer or their nominated person.
*A significant "first" in development for a device. This is something which took considerable time/effort and is generally accepted by developers to be non-trivial.
*Kernels which are built with beneficial changes that are not simply pulled from other kernels already available.
*Tools and utilities with a clear purpose, and which are well-made, and useful to users. They should have an element of originality, either in purpose or through significant improvement in the means of operation.
*Significant port of a ROM from one device to another, giving enhanced features or functionality to the users of the target device.
All other development work goes into "Android Development".​
[SIZE=+1]Q2: can I SIM unlock this phone for other carriers?[/SIZE]
The m7wlv comes SIM unlocked out of the box. It only works on certain frequencies. See if your carrier supports the below frequencies.
CDMA: 800/1900MHZ,
UMTS/HSPA: 900/2100MHz,
GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900MHz,
LTE: 700MHz (Band 13)(only Verizon uses this LTE band thus far)​
[SIZE=+1]Q3: Why did you refer it to m7wlv?[/SIZE]
That is the board code name. It is also referred to as the m7vzw (named after the carrier) and HTC6500LVW (Model name, also seen in build prop as HTC6500LVWBLU for the Best Buy blue variant). You can call it what you want as it still means this model.
All names said above are used in the build.prop file. When you refer to a device, you usually refer it with the board name, which is m7wlv​
[SIZE=+1]Q4: Is root possible with (OS version here)?[/SIZE]
Even though Verizon has blocked HTCdev access to unlock our bootloaders, thanks to jcase, beaups, and a few others, every release is unlockable and can attain S-off status.
Rumrunner(1.10.605.2, 1.10.605.8, 1.10.605.10, 1.10.605.15)
Firewater(2.10.605.1, 3.11.605.1)(Firewater shut down, so use Sunshine for these two firmwares as well)
Sunshine(4.10.605.3, 5.28.605.2) (costs $25 after successful test to ensure unlock and S-off works for the release version)
To find your firmware version, go to settings - about phone - software version.​
[SIZE=+1]Q5: I have x issue and need to return to stock, How do I do this?[/SIZE]
Be sure you read and follow directions closely! There has been many incidences where people didn't follow the instructions and had a permabrick on their hands! Do NOT go S-on until you are 100% sure you are fully stock from a good RUU flash.
How to: return to stock Locked/S-On​
[SIZE=+1]Q6: I am having an issue with data/wifi/call signal. Should I return it as it is defective?[/SIZE]
There is an uncommon occurrence on newer HTC devices where they sometimes get signal issues after a new ROM flash. This isn't hardware related (90% of the time). Something happens where the radio partition gets corrupt after a ROM flash. The way to resolve this is:
Back up your /system and /data partition in custom recovery
reboot to bootloader
Plug your phone into the PC
Flash stock recovery from here
Flash radio/firmware from here
type "fastboot erase cache"
Perform a "Factory Reset" by selecting the option from bootloader
Flash your custom recovery
restore /system and /data
[SIZE=+1]Q7: I don't want to unlock or S-off yet. How can I install the latest OTApkg.zip (I am not on Verizon's network)?[/SIZE]
Even without s-off and no root, you can still utilize the OTApkg.zip.
You need to put it on your device's storage.
Boot to stock recovery, exclamation point/phone image appears, then press volume up and power to get to the stock recovery menu.
Choose install update from sd card.
Select OTApkg.zip and let it do its thing.
There is another method I recently just did personally. The new HTC Sync app will search for updates on our phone and prompt to install the most recent update. The app will download the update and install it automagically for you. It doesn't matter what version you are on, it will update to the latest update the first time without having to install each one individually.​
[SIZE=+1]Q8: Help! How do I recover from this brick?[/SIZE]
What was the last thing you did before your device wouldn't boot?
I was going to flash a custom rom. I wiped everything, even internal storage! Why can't we have an external SD card?!
All is not lost!
while in recovery:
Put your ROM file in the same folder as ADB
"adb push your_rom_filename.zip /sdcard/"
Back out so you can click on the install file on sdcard option and viola...
I don't know what I did! I cannot get into recovery, or boot up past the HTC splash screen!
Never Fear!
RUU to the rescue! Follow that link and the instructions precisely. WARNING: doing and RUU will wipe the internal SD and return the phone to "Out of box" condition (except you will still be s-off and unlocked)
[SIZE=+1]Q9: After I rooted and flashed a custom recovery, I have this annoying red text on boot up. How do I get rid of this?[/SIZE]
This thread is your saving grace on getting rid of that pesky "developer warning"​
[SIZE=+1]Q10: I bought this phone off someone and do not have a proof of purchase, is my warranty still valid?[/SIZE]
When the device is first booted up and "set up," it sends HTC the serial Number and IMEI. HTC knows approximately when the phone was first purchased by this info. This means you do not need to be the original owner, or have the original proof of purchase. The warranty is still valid if it is within the warranty time period.​
[SIZE=+1]Q11: My camera has an odd purple tint! What can I do to fix this?[/SIZE]
This is a common issue with the HTC One. It is a manufacture defect. There is solutions that may mask the issue, but it is only temporary and it will get worse over time.
Contact HTC support and get a replacement/repair.
Note: I talked to a Rep today about a different issue and brought up the infamous camera issue. HTC support supervisors (HTC North America at least) have instructed their employees to accept camera warranty claims even for phones out of the warranty period. This means if you get the purple tint and you are out of warranty, you can still send it in!​
[SIZE=+1]Q12: What is the best kernel/ROM for this phone?[/SIZE]
Stop, do not pass go. There is no "best" anything. We all have different tastes and want different features or perks. Saying one Rom is the best for me, will not be the best for anyone else. Someone might want a powerhouse "performance trumps all" setup, while someone else could care less about a thousand or more on their antutu score and would want to squeeze every minute of battery life they can.
Read the features and benefits of every Rom (or kernel) and see what suits you best. Never ask which is best, they all are great.​
Forum Rules | New Users Guide | XDA Tour | Report Posts​
HTC One Help Thread | HTC One Mega Information Thread​
This FAQ is part of a Recognized Contributor Group Initiative. Please look for a similar FAQ thread when visiting another device forum.​

Changelog:
09/12/2014: initial post
09/13/2014: added sim unlock Q and model name Q
09/13/2014: added purple tint Q
09/15/2014: added Q 12
10/04/2014: Added note on purple tint Q
10/22/2014: Added second method for "manual" updating the phone.

Reserved

Greetings,
Please remember this is not a Q&A thread ALL questions should be posted HERE
If you have suggestions for additions to the guide post here or PM the OP.
Thank You,
BD619

Glad this is stickied, thanks mods.
Sent from my Lunar Ecliptic One.

m7wlv -- m7vzw
The OP notes that this about the HTC One m7wlv. But we often see it called m7vzw. Explain this, please.

jpradley said:
The OP notes that this about the HTC One m7wlv. But we often see it called m7vzw. Explain this, please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The official code name for the Verizon one is wlv (just check what it says when you do fastboot getvar all). Unofficially, people use the term vzw as that is the Carrier it is branded for. I will add that info in the FAQ.
Sent from my One using XDA Free mobile app

Wlv essentially stands for world LTE Verizon. Sprint is wls. We have wwe phones. Other carriers and European ones are u and ul. U for universal gsm, and ul for universal lte.
Sent from my Lunar Ecliptic One.

Added the time old question almost every new person asks when they freshly root their shiny phone.
If you see a question you have seen asked in the m7wlv (or even the m7u forum that applies to us) that I missed, let me know, and I will mention you in the change log for that question.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using XDA Free mobile app

Added a note to OP. It is also below. I had to contact HTC support for an issue with my wife's phone, and found some nice info. Also suggested to HTC about adding DSP to stock. The tech said they accept suggestions to improve their products. Hopefully they listen to it...
"Note: I talked to a Rep today about a different issue and brought up the infamous camera issue. HTC support supervisors (HTC North America at least) have instructed their employees to accept camera warranty claims even for phones out of the warranty period. This means if you get the purple tint and you are out of warranty, you can still send it in!"
Sent from my One using XDA Free mobile app

Edited Q7 to add a new method to update the phone when not on Verizon's network. I stumbled across this one when returning my wife's phone to stock (I like using the signed 2.x.y.z ruu)
Sent from my HTC6500LVWBLU using XDA Free mobile app

Can I use this for an At&t htc? I didn't find a GPE in AT&T section.
Can I use this for an At&t htc? I didn't find a GPE in AT&T section.

Should I root my HTC One M8?

Should I root my HTC One M8? I am not sure, please help!

Without any second thoughts if you know what you are doing
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA-Developers mobile app

DTLblaze said:
Should I root my HTC One M8? I am not sure, please help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This question can't be answered, without you giving any specifics of why you want root, what you expect to do with it, etc.
If you want/need root for specific reasons, willing to read and learn, and can follow instructions, then its not a difficult thing to accomplish; and root has some nice benefits.

DTLblaze said:
Should I root my HTC One M8? I am not sure, please help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, DTLblaze...
This is a difficult question to answer definitively and objectively.
It depends on what you want from root, and what you expect to gain from it. Or maybe you just like to tinker.
Anyway, the fact you're asking it, suggests you're curious...
And your curiosity means at some point, eventually, you're likely to attempt it. If not on the M8, then on some other Android device.
You are, I suspect, naturally and understandably worried about damaging your device. You've probably read or heard a great deal about 'bricking' - rendering your device unbootable and unusable.
Whilst this is certainly possible, it usually only occurs when people have failed to understand and read up on the basics.
And even then, most people usually only have to deal with a 'softbrick' situation, which typically results in a device that boots, but doesn't complete booting.
Depending on the circumstances, softbricks are almost always resolvable. If you can access (ie, boot) the bootloader, the device is usually recoverable.
---------------------------
The very basic bare bones of rooting are these...
1) Unlock the bootloader.
2) Fastboot flash a Custom Recovery (TWRP).
3) Using that Custom Recovery, Flash Chainfires SuperSU Root package.
---------------------------
Familiarise yourself with running command lines from your PC, so for example...
Code:
fastboot flash recovery twrp.img
...would flash TWRP (TeamWin Recovery Project - a custom recovery) to the recovery partition of your M8.
---------------------------
So my advice is to read, read, read and more read - everything you can about root.
And above all...
*** Don't Panic ***
...when things go wrong or appear to go wrong.
Keep a steady, level head and THINK.
All too often here, I read of people randomly doing random stuff, in the desperate hope that it will fix whatever problem they've got. Should I go S-off? Should I relock the bootloader? Should I flash this firmware, or that ROM or run this RUU?
So, instead of digging themselves out of a hole, they're digging themselves further in!
---------------------------
We all start somewhere, and I made a complete pigs ear of the first Android device I rooted some five years ago. Fortunately, it all worked out in the end, but only because I asked questions...
So don't be afraid to questions. To quote an old carpentry aphorism... 'Measure twice, cut once'.
---------------------------
Hope all this helps with your decision, and the best of luck.
Kind Rgrds,
Ged.

Help - Bricked HTC m9 - Not rooted - Advice needed -

Hi,
My wife HTC m9(UK, Vodaphone, latest stock ROM, No root) was turned off last night to charge.
When booted up it does the below. It does not load into the OS. Every boot loops into the below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8n21CQX7535cjF4MnZqV2E1dGM/view?usp=sharing
It says the software has been modified?
My wife was very insistent that I never root or change ROMS on her phone.
Does anyone have a fix or is this send off for replacement?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ca1v

ca1v said:
Hi,
My wife HTC m9(UK, Vodaphone, latest stock ROM, No root) was turned off last night to charge.
When booted up it does the below. It does not load into the OS. Every boot loops into the below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8n21CQX7535cjF4MnZqV2E1dGM/view?usp=sharing
It says the software has been modified?
My wife was very insistent that I never root or change ROMS on her phone.
Does anyone have a fix or is this send off for replacement?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ca1v
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What happens if you try to boot to Download Mode? I guess you see the black screen that is mentioned in Q7, right? If that's the case there isn't much you can do...

Download mode seems to be working (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8n21CQX7535cEFhTlpnajF5anM/view?usp=sharing)
If this is the case, can you point me in the right direction to get resolved?
Many thanks for the help

Flippy498 said:
What happens if you try to boot to Download Mode? I guess you see the black screen that is mentioned in Q7, right? If that's the case there isn't much you can do...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download mode seems to be working (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8n...ew?usp=sharing)
If this is the case, can you point me in the right direction to get resolved?
Many thanks for the help

Interesting. Your video in post 1 shows a security warning. That means that the OS got deleted. This is only possible if you unlock the bootloader and delete it manually via TWRP or if the EMMC gets broken. Since the phone's S-ON and its bootloader is locked and not unlocked or relocked I assumed that the latter happened*.
As long as the download mode is working you can restore the system with the help of a RUU. Instructions can be found in the thread I linked in my last post. Be aware that all data on the phone is going to get erased.
* Well, it is possible to get the phone's status back to S-ON and locked with S-OFF but you said you never tinkered with that phone...

Flippy498 said:
Interesting. Your video in post 1 shows a security warning. That means that the OS got deleted. This is only possible if you unlock the bootloader and delete it manually via TWRP or if the EMMC gets broken. Since the phone's S-ON and its bootloader is locked and not unlocked or relocked I assumed that the latter happened*.
As long as the download mode is working you can restore the system with the help of a RUU. Instructions can be found in the thread I linked in my last post. Be aware that all data on the phone is going to get erased.
* Well, it is possible to get the phone's status back to S-ON and locked with S-OFF but you said you never tinkered with that phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just thought I'd bring to your attention that apps are now being written that will try to obtain root without you knowing. The reason is that they can steal any information they want and sell it to corporations for as little as 4 pence/6c a record.
It is possible that it is a failed root by an app.
"I'm safe, I only download my apps from google playstore" - nope, you're not.
"I only use signed apps and the checksum is always correct" - nope, checksum can be matched with padding.
"I only use external sources to update genuine apps" - nope, see the Google playstore comment above.
"I have all my security and privacy set to super strict, I have my apps verified by google" - nope, still not secure because alerts are only written when the malicious/bad code is found.
Be warned, my fellow xda'ers. There is a whole new breed of security breach and it is terminal to root as a whole. Apps like kingoroot etc are issuing the wrong type of people with the wrong type of information and they are using it for the wrong purposes.
Google will stuggle to put a lid on these types of apps because they attack the hardware for access to software (a simple memory buffer overflow attack), inject a few lines of code and you're in, permanently. It will eventually result in a total lockdown at the manufacturer and bye bye root access, roms, mods etc, you'll get what you're given.
How do we prevent this?. We don't and we can't. We just have to sit back and watch as the world takes our privacy while bricking our devices one by one just to "try" to earn a poxy 4p.
Beamed in by telepathy.

@shivadow: I'm actually not sure what you're trying to achieve with your post. Malicious apps that can root your device without letting the user know about that exist since several years now. (Click here for a random example from 2011) Smartphones aren't completely safe and they never were. Everyone who's claiming the opposite either doesn't know what he/she is talking about or is simply lying.
To name just a few more android security flaws/exploits that emerged in the past: rageagainstthecage, gingerbreak, heartbleed, stagefright, the master key vulnerability, the futex bug, rootnik...
All of these have more or less been used for manipulating android phones. There is no absolute security. Android is still as secure/insecure as it's always been.
In addition, several OEMs are already trying to prevent their customers from rooting their phones since several years. Samsung's KNOX is a perfect example. (I don't want to discuss whether they're successful. That's a whole different topic.)
But let's get back to the deleted OS of the OP's phone: I've never heard about failed root attempts that erase a complete system partition. Therefore, I highly doubt that a malicious app caused all the trouble. Failed root attempts may cause a bootloop but they don't wipe your phone. Just think about the following: How should the dev of such app gain money if the app deletes OSes? Without OS there is no information you can steel and if you have no information you could sell/abuse/whatsoever you don't gain any money. Oh and not to forget that most apps on the play store already collect more than enough data from your phone they can sell afterwards without having to root it.

I meant failed root could be the cause, if the op didn't then who did?. If no-one modded it then dead nand is the only player..
I agree with every thing else but I don't trust those apps that try to gain root in the background to steal data and I think it's too easy for them to bugger your phone just for the sake of making a few coins. Face it, if I was doing it, once I had what I wanted I wouldn't care about the device. Sod the gracious exit and all that jazz.. No evidence, no conviction.
Maybe I'm being ott but my questions and points are still valid.
This is a proper "who dunnit" because I doubt it died of its own accord.
Knox is for businesses btw. If knox is triggered, which is very easy to do, the business is advised not to buy the device as it "may" have been compromised. But if no company secrets are being held on the device then it's still good to use. Knox protection was counteracted by supersu. In a nutshell, unless you run a company knox is of no concern to the everyday user.
Just thought I'd chuck that in there, I'm versed in the arts of the s3 i9300. I moved from that phone to this m9.
Beamed in by telepathy.

Bricked device

After following instructions on site linked below, my htc 10 has become completely unresponsive. When I rebooted after flashing Lineage OS and Gapps it kept asking for a password. Me having no idea what this was, I was searching around on google, and decided that reseting the device was a "clever" idea. Now the device will not power off and says: This build is for development purposes only Do not distribute outside of HTC without HTC's written permission Failiure to comoply may lead to legal action.
Now, what are my options for recovering my device? it is an European model.
Google: devices/pme/install
(not allowed to post links)