Hand a device to a new owner without the old owner's access

How to do it

Second-hand devices often arrive still tied to the seller's account. The seller can then watch the buyer's camera, and the buyer cannot set the device up. The release step runs the same erasure as factory reset erases every owner's data and keys, from the cloud side. A reset with a button press on the device also ends the old owner's claim, so a stolen account cannot block a lawful buyer. Tell the old owner by email or push when a reset ends their access. The new owner then claims as claim a device with a one-time code says. Never let a support agent move ownership on a claim of purchase alone.

Examples

Python example

def release_device(db, notifier, account_id: str, serial: str) -> None:
    device = db.devices.find(serial)
    if device.owner_id != account_id:
        raise PermissionError("Only the owner can release this device")
    db.device_data.delete_all(serial)
    db.device_shares.delete_all(serial)
    db.devices.clear_owner(serial)
    notifier.send(account_id, f"Device {serial} is no longer linked to your account")

Go example

func ReleaseDevice(db DB, notifier Notifier, accountID, serial string) error {
	device, err := db.FindDevice(serial)
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if device.OwnerID != accountID {
		return errors.New("only the owner can release this device")
	}
	if err := db.DeleteDeviceDataAndShares(serial); err != nil {
		return err
	}
	if err := db.ClearOwner(serial); err != nil {
		return err
	}
	return notifier.Send(accountID, "Device "+serial+" is no longer linked to your account")
}

How to check

An end-to-end test releases a device from account A. Account A loses access within 60 seconds and account B claims it. A second test resets a still-claimed device with the button, and account A receives a notice and loses access. A support tool call that moves ownership without a reset fails.

Sources

• ETSI EN 303 645 V3.1.3, provisions 5.11-1 to 5.11-4

Related rules

• IOT-8 Factory reset erases every owner's data and keys in Connected devices
• IOT-6 Claim a device with a one-time code instead of its serial number in Connected devices