All articles tagged with #grapheneos
GrapheneOS, a security-focused Android OS previously exclusive to Google Pixel devices, plans to expand support to include Snapdragon-powered devices from a major OEM, likely OnePlus, marking a significant shift in its device compatibility.
The article discusses the concept of a duress PIN, a secondary password on GrapheneOS that silently triggers a complete device wipe to protect sensitive data in coercive situations, emphasizing its importance for privacy and security, and exploring potential Android features inspired by this approach.
The article discusses the use of GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused alternative to Pixel OS on Google Pixel phones, highlighting its security benefits and the controversy surrounding law enforcement profiling users of such secure devices, emphasizing that privacy tools are about control, not criminal activity.
In Catalonia, police associate Google Pixel phones with organized crime because criminals prefer using Pixels with GrapheneOS for enhanced security and privacy, exploiting its open-source nature and security features, which ironically makes Pixels attractive for illicit activities.
Google has fixed two high-severity security flaws in its Pixel phones, which were being exploited by forensic companies to gain access without needing a PIN. The vulnerabilities, discovered by GrapheneOS, include an information disclosure flaw in the bootloader and a privilege escalation flaw in the firmware. Google recommends all users to update their phones immediately to patch these vulnerabilities, and the fix involves zeroing memory in firmware when rebooting to fastboot mode. If you have a supported Google device, check for updates under "Security and privacy" in Settings to ensure you have the latest Pixel security update.
Android Authority is conducting a poll to determine if users would consider switching to GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused phone operating system that allows users to continue using Google's apps and services without compromising their phone's usability. GrapheneOS delivers a secure Android experience while preventing Google from collecting user data. Users can still download apps from the Play Store, receive push notifications via Google's servers, and sync data as usual.
GrapheneOS is a custom ROM that offers a private and secure Android experience without compromising the usability of your smartphone. It allows you to install Google Play Store and Play Services as user apps, forcing them to respect Android’s sandbox, and also lets you revoke sensitive app permissions like location and file access. GrapheneOS also offers features like Storage Scopes, multiple user profiles, per-app network access, and scrambled PIN input. However, it can only be installed on recent Pixel smartphones and some apps like Android Auto are incompatible with its sandbox model.