I've been using a combination of LineageOS with MicroG and /e/ on my primary and backup OnePlus phones, and frankly, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better combination of hardware and software. I very much enjoy having a device with minimal bloat and no connection to Google.
Recently, however, the PayPal app stopped working on my phone. This isn't that much of an inconvenience, however, my thinking is that any app could be susceptible to this occurring. This could be potentially catastrophic, for example, if an app that unlocks a charging station for EVs stops functioning or a ticket application for an event (I know, these are worst case scenarios, but I think they are worth having contingency for).
Even before I started messing with custom ROMs again, I had ProtonVPN always on my device (with ads and trackers blocked), as well as using NextDNS to block more that I discovered through DuckDuckGo. Given this, and the fact that I still use YouTube and Google Play Movies on my Roku TV (as well as the fact that I used Google's services prior to commuting to protecting my data privacy), makes me wonder if I'm really getting benefit with custom ROMs. Are the privacy steps I'm already taking sufficient? Should I just disable as many Google apps as possible and call it good? I'm interested in hearing people's thoughts.
Related
This is not troll baiting or OS Slamming...
Looking for knowledgeable and constructive feedback regarding device security. I'm thinking in terms of an Executive or VP or Network Admin or such loosing the device. a piece of software
1) to do more to control access than a squiggly line
2) to allow for remote GPS tracking and/or device data wiping
3) that is stealthy and/or hard to remove.
I know there are a few "security services" out there but that leads me into "how do i know whose who and who can be trusted in the android segment". I place a great deal of trust in the developer of my ROM. That he/she/they are benevolent and not including by intent or negligence loggers or other malware. then i have a companies like Wave and Norton and Good all angling to get installed on my device. i don't know Wave nor Good and I have no luv for Norton.
The EVO allows for RDC and VNC sessions. It allows for VPN access and has the pwd's to my personal and work email. meebo has me signed into all my chat networks. As a long time Windows person I guess it's just a lil disconcerting when i stop and think on it. this device can easily be configured to hold everything needed to access a secured network. Perhaps this is a reflection on my lack of understanding the system in depth. perhaps i'm not sure how well the opensource community will communicate "problem" apps and developers.
Also, and kinda sorta related. Applications in the marketplace. sometimes you get an application and the types of security access it is asking for seems a bit "off". occasionally in the comments the developer may comment that "i need to access X in order to provide Z". It usually makes sense (whether true or not i cannot say), but is there any nice cross-reference of what types of actions require what access level. or why so many apps need to know the phone state and identity or general location or full network access and what exactly that means to me as the end user. this second paragraph is proving difficult to put to paper..i may come back and edit for clarity.
and lastly, i guess is a question on how to protect from apps like this...
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/060210-android-rootkit-is-just-a.html?page=1
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/commercial-spying-app-for-android-devices-released/4900
looking for something kinda like this, but useful...
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/06/28/understanding-the-android-market-security-system/
This is not troll baiting or OS Slamming...
Looking for knowledgeable and constructive feedback regarding device security. I'm thinking in terms of an Executive or VP or Network Admin or such loosing the device. a piece of software
1) to do more to control access than a squiggly line
2) to allow for remote GPS tracking and/or device data wiping
3) that is stealthy and/or hard to remove.
I know there are a few "security services" out there but that leads me into "how do i know whose who and who can be trusted in the android segment". I place a great deal of trust in the developer of my ROM. That he/she/they are benevolent and not including by intent or negligence loggers or other malware. then i have a companies like Wave and Norton and Good all angling to get installed on my device. i don't know Wave nor Good and I have no luv for Norton.
The EVO allows for RDC and VNC sessions. It allows for VPN access and has the pwd's to my personal and work email. meebo has me signed into all my chat networks. As a long time Windows person I guess it's just a lil disconcerting when i stop and think on it. this device can easily be configured to hold everything needed to access a secured network. Perhaps this is a reflection on my lack of understanding the system in depth. perhaps i'm not sure how well the opensource community will communicate "problem" apps and developers.
Also, and kinda sorta related. Applications in the marketplace. sometimes you get an application and the types of security access it is asking for seems a bit "off". occasionally in the comments the developer may comment that "i need to access X in order to provide Z". It usually makes sense (whether true or not i cannot say), but is there any nice cross-reference of what types of actions require what access level. or why so many apps need to know the phone state and identity or general location or full network access and what exactly that means to me as the end user. this second paragraph is proving difficult to put to paper..i may come back and edit for clarity.
and lastly, i guess is a question on how to protect from apps like this...
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/060210-android-rootkit-is-just-a.html?page=1
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/commercial-spying-app-for-android-devices-released/4900
If the app seems fishy don't download it you can allways get lookout from the market it will pull your phone up on the gps and tell you exactly where it is I've tested you can also make it chirp real loud as for them accessing your phone put the pattern lock on in stead most thiefs are not hackers so they probably won't be able to access your phone even if you hard reset you still have to draw the pattern I mean unless they full root the phone and wipe it in petty sure you will be ok hope that helped
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Lookout kinda falls into the same category at Good or Wave. (at least to me thus far). All appear to be fine and yet somehow free products. I'm looking for a corporate solution, not end user solution. a free solution would be swell, so long as trust can be established.
i am looking at this from a corporate IT security perspective. not a young person, a enthusiast nor regular end user. heck, if I could get all of my users to actually know what is meant by "if the app seems fishy don't use it", most of my job would be completed. but to be honest, i'm still trying to get a grasp on that myself in the android world, hence the question about access levels in last paragraph of original post.
the zigzag is nifty and should protect from casual access. Froyo will provide an interface that a secured Exchange server would prefer to have. that will help.
( BTW ... if anyone knows how to make the red line not appear when you mess up the pattern lock...you'd be my personal hero for the day)
its not thieves that I'm worried about...it's my own end users that have to be protected from themselves. if a device was left in a bar or cab and did end up in the wrong hands....data could be sold, deals could be lost, people could be embarrassed, with the type of data that 'can very easily' exist on these devices...network security itself can be compromised. and sadly, i must assume that a good many end users will disable security if they are able to. for the same reason they ***** at automatic screenlocks on their desktop/laptop computers.
would you rather your IT team "hope/pray/expect the device will be picked up by some incompetent/benign/lawabiding citizen" or the opposite?
i choose to prepare for the worst...hope for the best. not the other way around. hence, my questions.
Isn't remote wipe being built into froyo somehow? Thought I read that somewhere.
I have my exchange email set up on my device and it requires me to use a passcode. I cannot disable it.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
As for wiping data remotely wave secure will do that it might be close to what you need or something for the time being hopefully this will help
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
This is kinda sorta what I'm lookn for.
http://www.downloadsquad.com/2010/06/28/understanding-the-android-market-security-system/
Hi folks,
I am going to buy my very first smart phone. I am currently debating between iPhone 4 and Samsung Vibrant Galaxy S (in Canada) Without going into the question og whether I need to get a data plan or not, I have some very specific questions that I would appreciate your words of wisdome on:
1: Is there a free third party GPS app that does not consume data while on the road (i.e. direct satellite connection). Would a paid app such as CoPilot Live 8 still be not good enough because Samsung GPS has reliability issues?
2: Does Google Maps continuously consume data while showing you your route on the road or does it just downlaod the map once and then simply use the gps-satellite channel? I need a good gps system on the phone so that I can have the phone in my backpack and follow the directions via my motorcycle's blue tooth enabled helmet.
3: Does Samsung Galaxy S have capability of turning speech into a text SMS?
4: Is there an alternative to the dreaded Kies for Samsung?
5: From being a complete noob up until a week ago to words like jailbreak, rooting, froyo, etc, I have come a long way and have explored several options. So wondering rooting is even necessary and it it is, is there a Cydia like application for Android. iPhone users use Cydia primarily for installing pirated software such as TomTom.
6: Can I turn off data consumption and use wifi and still receive calls?
Thanks in advance
datawiz2012 said:
1: Is there a free third party GPS app that does not consume data while on the road (i.e. direct satellite connection). Would a paid app such as CoPilot Live 8 still be not good enough because Samsung GPS has reliability issues?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Copilot is available for Android too, but in my opinion, Travroute suck. There are plenty of alternatives, but depends on your country. We aren't really too sure how good navigation is on the final froyo either, but car navigation should be fine. Worst comes to worst, you can get a bluetooth GPS.
datawiz2012 said:
2: Does Google Maps continuously consume data while showing you your route on the road or does it just downlaod the map once and then simply use the gps-satellite channel? I need a good gps system on the phone so that I can have the phone in my backpack and follow the directions via my motorcycle's blue tooth enabled helmet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are some that read off the directions.. Depends on the app.
datawiz2012 said:
3: Does Samsung Galaxy S have capability of turning speech into a text SMS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are apparently a few, but maybe best to give it a try yourself at a store, to see what results are like. Speech recognition has a habit of being slightly "meh". With VOIP though, in some countries, short phone calls cost cheaper on VOIP/skype than an SMS though.
datawiz2012 said:
4: Is there an alternative to the dreaded Kies for Samsung?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For flashing, there is heimdell and odin. Contacts sync with google contacts anyway. You can set the phone too mass transfer mode to expose it as files in normal file browsing tools to copy data/music.
datawiz2012 said:
5: From being a complete noob up until a week ago to words like jailbreak, rooting, froyo, etc, I have come a long way and have explored several options. So wondering rooting is even necessary and it it is, is there a Cydia like application for Android. iPhone users use Cydia primarily for installing pirated software such as TomTom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We don't need jailbreaking really because Android is open, whereas Apple screws developers around with restructions. And you can root if you want to, but you only need to do so if you are messing with low level OS stuff.
And unlike iOS, anyone can open an app store for Android, because Apple restricts apps which can be install.
datawiz2012 said:
6: Can I turn off data consumption and use wifi and still receive calls?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use Wifi to receive calls? For voice calls, you simply hold the power button, and there is an option to turn off 3G data/HSDPA. Haven't tested it properly, but pretty sure it works the way you want (maybe check the manual). VOIP apps exists too, like Skype and Sipdroid (and in late firmware's, they actually work properly).
Other considerations are:
1) The iPhones are MUCH more restrictive for developers. Apple will tell you they are the most consumer friendly company on the planet, but the harsh reality is, they REALLY aren't.
2) Android is far more customisable than iOS.
3)If you own an iPhone, you should assume you need to use iTunes (say goodbye to flac support, and many other things).
4) You buy from the Android store, I think the purchased apps should also work on any other future compatible android phone. If you buy on the iPhone store, they will only work on future Apple devices.
5) Some people will tell you the iPhone doesn't lag, etc. I tested an iPhone 4G the other day, and this is DEFINITELY untrue.
6) Steve jobs is no better than most politicians. He does consistently deceive people and blatantly lie during announcements. For iinstance, at first he tried to claim there was no antenna issue (and it was simply shonky software), despite antenna experts PROVING there was. The iPhone succeeded solely because people were sucked in by Steve Job's exageration of multi-touch. The first iPhone couldn't even run third party apps.
7) Android is growing quickly. The app store now has over 100,000 apps. Whilst there are less apps than Apple's platform, you'll find that all the good ones seems to be there.
Anyway, my opinion is that consumers should avoid the iPhones.. Another phone you may wish to consider though is the new HTC desire HD.
thanks for your very very detailed reply. Much appreciated. I am still confused about the GPS stuff. Hopefully other people will pitch in as well. I should have phrased my question about turning off data better than I did.
What I'd meant was whether I can turn off 3G so that I don't use internet data while using a GPS app such as CoPilot but would doing so prevent me from receiving/making calls?
Thanks,
So, since I've got this over monster I've had a shocking number of issues. From sudden influx of crap followers online, people sending photos of some of those little people some people keep as pets.
But, it was probably a month in kept getting restarts that left my wall paper different, noticed key guard was in the running processes and Samsung wasn't able to give me much info at all.
Frequently my antivirus Would randomly flag some huge archive that would appear in Google vending folder and for some reason my weather app for my gear fit updated EVERYDAY
Today a series of unfortunate events and my phone did a factory reset shortly after a drop. I actually find that interesting because I don't know the drop or one of my...well call them gremlins. (Let's face it most of things i have attributed are probably just me going into PTSD blah blah blah... )
But today Turn process I did streamline to get Nic cards logging up and go and build to set up a good firewall get ad blockers going but I wanted to see what happened. And I go my weather app eventually.
And for some reason over in reddit they tend to think permissions like this are normal (I know Samsung's calculator is more than a calculator but mine once had almost every permission with about 800MB storage taken up.
So, This weather app seemed a little abnormal look up the IP address, looked up the company and, I looked furlough their partners for Samsung and Knox (didnt Find the one)
Just a quick assumption;
This module has the Hotspot 2.0 and REALLY likes its certificates. I noticed the option to share Your Wi-Fi with someone is always default toggle on.
If you scroll through the websites what we do you see that they are very proud that they have the edge one of the largest threat assessments for everybody when hop away from 1 of their servers , how many of them there are etc. And I Have this feeling that my device is actually just a nice little go between allowing others access to the internet while gathering their data points.
I can't actually post links but if you do their site plus this thing takes you right to the talk about their platform. Gove the data that goes through phones, that is good for anything from Cambridge analytica code level stealing countries to just figuring out how stable and great 5G is
/us/en/
what-we-do/intelligent-platform
I've seen the Address actually go by in my primary bp and add blocker but that 1 doesn't give me per app metrics so not sure what else goes to them.
Also, suddenly I think I know at least partially why they don't want flashed ROMS(?), at least yet.
I'd actually really like to know if anyone else, specifically related to 5G sees these also. Given the timing of that release device and anal FMRi weather app there. And for some reason even though I use a little cheaper company gives me unlimited data they have swapped my network several times between bigger company the smaller company. Its same towers and stuff usually so no big deal but, doesn't normally do that. (Have noticed that actually from the Galaxy store I see that quite often, but the "same" download from play store different version number less permissions)
(By the way hello this is the 1st device actually looking to rooting, prior the risk of that access to someone else was too much. Thanks for letting me join the community, I do hope I catch on quick ans don't drive any one too crazy)
(I tried to add in pictures of the weather app permissions and everything but can't post pictures either)
A drop shouldn't cause a factory reset... if it was caused by software you have an apk(s) that are trashware.
A 3rd party launcher put mine in a boot loop... twice.
If you did a recent firmware update it may have corrupted that load, reload as you did.
A virus or trojan are suspect as well. Run Malwarebytes and Trojan scanner. Some malware may not always be detected.
If you suspect a virus after a reload be careful what you load and bring into the system including the on SD card and any backups. Start with the base load and add only apps from Playstore at first. Go from there if it runs ok. Be wary of updates, one at a time, look for issues as you progress.
Same with backup data... if it's there you'll need to isolate it or dump all the data.
Use a package disabler like PD MDM to block bloatware from running and to troubleshoot.
blackhawk said:
A 3rd party launcher put mine in a boot loop... twice.
If you did a recent firmware update it may have corrupted that load, reload as you did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was worried so, as I'd never seen it i just know these things actually include that hardware backed encryption. I had worries that I had knocked that loose and might have issues with it later. (Accelerometer is off bit it seems now)
I can say likely:
1. Third party lock screen with data wipe. Not highly reviewed but was but trashy. May have accidently in the tussle woke the screen with motion and performed a wipe.
2. Package disabled. I play with what I can get away with disabling. Some Knox stuff is bit touchy.
3. I'd managed to start process of adding a second secure folder on a secondary profile. It hadn't like it but stayed working.
Or combo 2 & 3 but lock screen most likely I'd say
HungryRobotics said:
I was worried so, as I'd never seen it i just know these things actually include that hardware backed encryption. I had worries that I had knocked that loose and might have issues with it later. (Accelerometer is off bit it seems now)
I can say likely:
1. Third party lock screen with data wipe. Not highly reviewed but was but trashy. May have accidently in the tussle woke the screen with motion and performed a wipe.
2. Package disabled. I play with what I can get away with disabling. Some Knox stuff is bit touchy.
3. I'd managed to start process of adding a second secure folder on a secondary profile. It hadn't like it but stayed working.
Or combo 2 & 3 but lock screen most likely I'd say
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get a good case like the Bolt. High G impacts can cause internal damage but usually not especially if in a case.
I don't use secure folder, encryption or any screen lock especially 3rd party. Any apk you give administrator rights to lock the phone can effectively trash your OS load in a heartbeat.
Have had passwords get corrupted (rare) before and gotten totally locked out on a laptop bios.
That machine is now useless.
On Androids you can reload to recover if all else fails but a reload takes a lot of work...
First of all never have lost/stolen phone , but with the new lineageOS on my poco f3 i worried about losing my phone and leting easy access to the thiefs.someone who finds it . Is the lineageOS encryption decent enought? Dont really know how to do the basics for not leaving too easy but i want to know if the default acomplishes that without more tinkering
Can't comment on the security of lineage over other roms, I'm guessing they much of a muchness with encryption.
But, if you're that worried have you thought about an anti theft app such as Cerberus? There may well be other, cheaper options... Cerberus is 5EUR per year. Once installed its a very powerful app, or at least was when I used it years ago. You can hide the app from the app drawer and take other measures to prevent uninstall. Once it's on your phone you can remotely control your device or track it, even take pictures of the person trying to unlock your phone and forward those pics to a backup number or email. You can trigger alarms, lock the device or... Worst case scenario you can remotely wipe the device after logging into your account on cerberus website. I think even if they insert another sim the app being buried/hidden on your phone can email you the new number etc etc. There's a number of commands you can do /send.
Just to add, I'm not affiliated to the app in any way. I used to use it but like you have never lost a phone so gave up on it.
https://www.cerberusapp.com/
thanks for the info , been out from custom roms for a while and i forgot that app for complete
LineageOS uses a decent encryption as long as you choose a strong password. I would't worry as long as your not the target of a government
A decent password is very important tho!