Migrating to SQLCipher for Android 3.x

In my last post I wrote why you have seriously consider upgrading to SQLCipher for Android 3.0.2. Version 3.x introduced new default configuration that is not out-of-the-box compatible with databases created with previous versions (1.x/2.x). Particularly, the default key derivation function's (KDF) iteration count increased from 4000 to 64000 (yes, x16), and therefore some kind of migration of the current database required.

You won't be able to open the existing database file if you'll try to upgrade the SQLCipher libraries without migrating it (the database file) first. The following error will be thrown in attempt to open existing database:

03-29 16:14:04.199  18107-18107/info.osom.sqlciphertest I/Database? sqlite returned: error code = 26, msg = file is encrypted or is not a database
03-29 16:14:04.199  18107-18107/info.osom.sqlciphertest E/Database? CREATE TABLE android_metadata failed
03-29 16:14:04.199  18107-18107/info.osom.sqlciphertest E/Database? Failed to setLocale() when constructing, closing the database
    net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteException: file is encrypted or is not a database
            at net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteDatabase.native_setLocale(Native Method)
            at net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteDatabase.setLocale(SQLiteDatabase.java:2092)
            at net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteDatabase.(SQLiteDatabase.java:1958)
            at net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteDatabase.openDatabase(SQLiteDatabase.java:875)
            at net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteDatabase.openOrCreateDatabase(SQLiteDatabase.java:907)
            at net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteOpenHelper.getWritableDatabase(SQLiteOpenHelper.java:132)
            at net.sqlcipher.database.SQLiteOpenHelper.getWritableDatabase(SQLiteOpenHelper.java:99)
            at info.osom.sqlciphertest.MainActivity$PlaceholderFragment$1.onClick(MainActivity.java:69)
            at android.view.View.performClick(View.java:4202)
            at android.view.View$PerformClick.run(View.java:17340)
            at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:725)
            at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:92)
            at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:137)
            at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5039)
            at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
            at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:511)
            at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:793)
            at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:560)
            at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

Why you should upgrade SQLCipher to latest (3.0.2) version

If you're using SQLCipher (for Android) version <= 3.0.1, then your application may potentially leak sensitive data into the log system. That's because in case of error in its underlying native library, the (SQLCipher) Android wrapper library was printing the original query values into the log system.
This issue was fixed on February 1st, 2014 and integrated in version 3.0.2.

I'm including here a short demo that demonstrates the problem.

I've created a new basic project using Android Studio. Then downloaded SQLCipher for Android version 2.2.1, unzipped and added all the content to the project. This is the structure: