Android phones are safer than you think, says Google’s head of Android security

Discussion in 'mobile device security' started by ronjor, Apr 15, 2017.

  1. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    By Simon Hill — April 15, 2017 3:00 AM
     
  2. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    What the hell is this guy talking about? Apps can do whatever the hell they want, like stealing data. I wouldn't call that true security.
     
  3. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    Apps can only do what you allow them to do.
     
  4. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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  5. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    I guess I am lucky as I have not encountered this. Most apps I use run perfectly fine even if you take important permissions from them.

    In regards to your link: Nothing new, and affects the most dodgiest apps I've heard of. "Free emoji" cmon. Most people will not encounter this.
     
  6. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Is it possible to block them from getting permissions? How to do this?
     
  7. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Some won't function that might be true but also on Android I always get a WARNING (when DENY certain permissions) that the app might not behave or become unstable is a baldface lie mostly.

    I yank all permissions from most apps except (SD Storage) etc. because the apps I use have no business to my Contacts/Phone Settings/SMS etc and all the other nonsense developers like to add into them (likely to sell that data/info)

    You can't catch them all maybe but you can surely put a dent in their program from accessing stuff the app itself has no need of to work properly anyway.

    I test this all the time.
     
  8. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    I guess I need to play around with my smartphone a bit more. I always assumed that if you click on deny the app would not get installed. I never get a warning about allowing/blocking individual permissions?
     
  9. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    It requires Android 6.x, and apps designed or "optimized" for this version.
     
  10. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    100%! CORRECT.

    Previous Android versions are not by default configurable via GRANULAR PERMISSIONS as Marshmallow and up the ladder afterwards.
     
  11. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    And you won't.

    Just like our good ole Windows, you have to drill down into phone settings and often times that is of no use unless you are able to unlock and/or root the thing to uncover those extra settings.

    And that's one of the problems by the way.

    Just like micro keeps certain settings/features of Windows under wraps until either discovered or accessed other ways, much of the time to our utter surprise, you're at the the mercy of your mobile handset's basic released O/S whether it's privacy/security enhanced or not.

    Yeah, those smartphones are yet another trip right down the same road as Windows was when it first came out and requires digging up useful settings when and where they can be found and adjusted without affecting the usefulness of the device.
     
  12. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    OK I see. So if apps are not optimized, you still have no choice.
     
  13. Abdallah

    Abdallah Registered Member

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    There is an application that unlock the "hidden" permissions control on KitKat, it was very useful.
     
  14. summerheat

    summerheat Registered Member

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    I strongly suggest to install LineageOS, provided that you have a smartphone that is supported by them. I had been using CyanogenMod for years, and now since the end of last year its successor LineageOS. Besides getting the newest Android version with the latest security patches by Google it has the Privacy Guard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuLlHtHkb8A which still has considerable advantages over the permission manager built in since Android 6.x. In combination with, e.g., Adguard for Android - which is not only an ad blocker but also a firewall which can be used to block network access for specific apps - you can very effectively control what your apps are allowed to do.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 29, 2017
  15. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Thanks for making mention of this.

    Privacy Guard for Android really does have some useful features although I yet to implement it into my current schema of things.

    The combo you make mention of IS of tremendous benefit.

    For those who regularly know and flash custom ROMS the possibilities are MANY.
     
  16. elapsed

    elapsed Registered Member

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    Incorrect. After Android 6 you can disable the permissions even for "non-optimized" apps by going into the settings of that app.

    "Optimized" apps mean the app is installed with 0 permissions and it will ask each time it needs one.

    A "non-optimized" app is installed with all of the permissions and you need to manually disable them, which you can do prior to running the app if you wish.
     
  17. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    100% Correct!

    Depending on the version of Android a user is on, you're not completely at the mercy of having no choice, but on the contrary.
     
  18. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Thanks for the info, I must have totally missed this post, will soon upgrade to Android 6, and I read Google is working on Android O.
     
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