Latest news with #GrapheneOS
Android Authority
13 hours ago
- Android Authority
Cops say criminals use a Google Pixel with GrapheneOS — I say that's freedom
Calvin Wankhede / Android Authority Police in Spain have reportedly started profiling people based on their phones; specifically, and surprisingly, those carrying Google Pixel devices. Law enforcement officials in Catalonia say they associate Pixels with crime because drug traffickers are increasingly turning to these phones. But it's not Google's secure Titan M2 chip that has criminals favoring the Pixel — instead, it's GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused alternative to the default Pixel OS. As someone who has used a Pixel phone with GrapheneOS, I find this assumption a bit unsettling. I have plenty of reasons to use GrapheneOS, and avoiding law enforcement isn't on the list at all. In fact, I think many Pixel users would benefit from switching to GrapheneOS over the default Android operating system. And no, my reasons don't have anything to do with criminal activity. Why I use and recommend GrapheneOS A privacy-focused operating system may seem more trouble than it's worth. But when I replaced Google's Pixel OS with GrapheneOS, I found it to be a transformative experience. For one, the installation was painless, and I didn't lose any modern software features. Installing aftermarket operating systems used to equal a compromised smartphone experience, but I didn't find that to be true in the case of GrapheneOS. Case in point: even though GrapheneOS doesn't include any Google services, I was surprised to find that you can install the Play Store with relative ease and almost all apps work flawlessly — even most banking ones. This is impressive for any open-source fork of Android, but GrapheneOS goes above and beyond in that it also has some major privacy and security benefits. Primarily, it locks down various parts of Android to reduce the number of attack vectors and enforces stricter sandboxing to ensure that apps remain isolated from each other. GrapheneOS just works, with almost no feature or usability compromises. Take Google apps as an example. On almost all Android phones sold outside China, Google has far-reaching and system-level access to everything: your precise location, contacts, app usage, network activity, and a load of other data. You cannot do anything to stop it, whether you'd like to or not. However, you can with GrapheneOS because it treats Google apps like any other piece of unknown software. This means Google apps are forced to run in a sandbox where they have limited access to your data. GrapheneOS' sandboxing extends to invasive apps like Google Play Services and the Play Store. You can explicitly disable each and every permission for these apps manually — in fact, most permissions are disabled by default. Even better, you can create different user profiles to isolate apps that require lots of permissions. GrapheneOS can forward notifications to the primary user profile, unlike stock Android. GrapheneOS limits Google's reach into your phone more than any other flavor of Android. On the subject of app permissions, GrapheneOS builds on that, too. For example, you can stop apps from accessing the internet and reading your device's sensors — stock Android doesn't expose such granular control. And while Android permissions often take the all-or-nothing approach, GrapheneOS lets you select only the exact contacts, photos, or files that you want visible to an app. Finally, my favorite GrapheneOS feature is the ability to set a duress PIN. When entered, this secondary PIN will initiate a permanent deletion of all data on the phone, including installed eSIMs. If I'm ever forced to give up my phone's password, I can take solace in the fact that the attacker will not have access to my data. If you have nothing to hide… Sensors permission Auto reboot Disallowed permissions You might be wondering: if I don't have anything to hide, why should I bother using GrapheneOS? That's a fair question, but it misses the point. I don't use GrapheneOS because I have something to hide — I use it to exercise control over the device I own. I find it comforting that Google cannot collect data to nearly the same extent if I use GrapheneOS instead of Pixel OS. The benefits of using GrapheneOS extend far beyond just hiding from Google, though, and it's why the project has landed under the scanner of law enforcement. I believe that GrapheneOS catching attention from law enforcement just proves how much it raises the bar on privacy. GrapheneOS has built a number of app isolation-based safeguards to ensure that your phone cannot be infected remotely. The technical details are longer than I can list, but in essence, the developers stripped out parts of Android's code that could be exploited by bad actors. Some security improvements have even been suggested and incorporated into AOSP, meaning GrapheneOS' efforts have made all of our devices a tiny bit more secure. Does GrapheneOS take privacy and security too far? Megan Ellis / Android Authority GrapheneOS is one of many tools that now face suspicion and political pressure simply for making surveillance harder. Take the Signal app as another example. The encrypted messaging app has been repeatedly targeted by EU lawmakers in recent years. Specifically, a proposed 'Chat Control' legislation would compel secure messaging platforms to scan all communication — including those protected by end-to-end encryption — for illegal content such as Child Sexual Assault Material. Messaging apps in the EU would be required to scan private communications before they're encrypted, on the user's device, and report anything that looks suspicious. While encryption itself wouldn't be banned, Signal's developers have rightly pointed out that mandatory on-device scanning essentially equals a backdoor. A rogue government could misuse these privileges to spy on dissenting citizens or political opponents, while hackers might be able to steal financial information. Regulators have long asked privacy apps to compromise on their singular mission: privacy. There's a bitter irony here, too, as GrapheneOS recently pointed out in a tweet. The Spanish region of Catalonia was at the center of the massive Pegasus spyware scandal in 2019. Pegasus, a sophisticated surveillance tool sold exclusively to governments, was reportedly used to hack phones belonging to Members of the European Parliament and eavesdrop on their communications. Yet, police in this very region are now scrutinizing savvy Pixel and GrapheneOS users for hardening their devices against unlawful surveillance and other attack vectors. Open source developers cannot control what their software is used for, and that's true for GrapheneOS and Signal. Sure, some criminals will naturally want to take advantage of the privacy and security tools the rest of us use. One could say the same thing about matchboxes being used for arson and cash being used for money laundering, but no one's calling on regulators to outlaw either. In fact, law enforcement profiling is frowned upon by most of us. So, if I use GrapheneOS on my Pixel to keep my data away from Big Tech, potential hackers, or even eavesdropping governments, that alone should not put me in the same league as drug dealers. But if it does, so be it.
Android Authority
03-07-2025
- Android Authority
Cops in this country think everyone using a Google Pixel must be a drug dealer
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR Pixel phones are apparently the phone of choice for criminals, drug dealers, and gang members in Spain's Catalonia. Police say every time they spot someone with a Pixel, they think they must be a drug dealer. The popularity of Pixels among the wrong crowd has little to do with Google phones and everything to do with Android's open nature. Police in Spain, specifically in the autonomous region of Catalonia, are very alert when they spot someone using a Google Pixel phone. As weird as it sounds, Pixels are highly preferred by those involved in organized crime, according to the Catalan police. 'Every time we see a Google Pixel, we suspect it might belong to a drug dealer,' said a police official leading the anti-drug operation in Catalonia, as per Xataka Android (machine translated). But why are Pixels popular among criminals in that region? It really has little to do with how Google makes its phones and everything to do with the open nature of Android, which lets users use alternative operating systems. Specifically, organized crime members in Catalonia use GrapheneOS, a privacy and security-focused operating system that keeps your data out of Google's reach. Criminals and gang members in Spain prefer using GrapheneOS on Pixel phones, and there's a good reason for it. GrapheneOS implements full disk and metadata encryption, a security feature exploited by miscreants. But it works best on Pixels. Even though GrapheneOS can be installed on any unlocked Android phone, the company's FAQ section strongly recommends using a Pixel phone 'due to better security and a long minimum support guarantee from launch for full security updates and other improvements.' The page specifically mentions the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series, 'for the incredibly powerful hardware memory tagging security feature as part of moving to new ARM V9 CPU cores.' Additionally, like most Android phones, Pixel devices are on Google's Find My Device network, which allows users to remotely lock or wipe their phones, a feature that's ironically valued by criminals. In fact, one of the Pixel's standout features — its cameras — is something these criminals don't even use and often have physically removed, along with the GPS and microphone. In Catalonia, a Pixel sighting now raises more than just tech curiosity, it raises red flags. The police's solution to counter these clever tricks is to infect Pixels with malware to gain full access to apps, media, documents, and more. Even GrapheneOS is not immune to malware attacks. So while Google surely didn't intend for Pixels to become the phone of choice for criminals, their security hardware, mod-friendly nature, and support for GrapheneOS have made them unexpectedly attractive to the wrong crowd. In Catalonia, a Pixel sighting now raises more than just tech curiosity, it raises red flags. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
India.com
24-05-2025
- India.com
These are world's most secure phones, they are used by Presidents, Prime Ministers, militaries, spy agencies, list includes...
These are world's most secure phones, they are used by Presidents, Prime Ministers, militaries, spy agencies, list includes... In today's digital world, keeping personal data safe is more important than ever. Whether you're a regular person or someone in a high-security job like a spy, a government officer, or a VVIP you need a smartphone that offers strong protection. These phones are specially designed to keep data private and secure. Let's look at 6 of the most secure phones in the world, trusted by secret agents and top officials. 1. Blackphone 2 The Blackphone 2 is built for people who care a lot about privacy. It runs on Silent OS, which is based on Android but removes all tracking and data-sharing features. This phone has encrypted calls, secure messaging, and safe browsing perfect for anyone who doesn't want to be watched. 2. Boeing Black Boeing made this phone mainly for the military and government use. Its most unique feature? If someone tries to tamper with it, the phone will destroy itself to protect the data. This keeps any private or sensitive information completely safe from hackers. 3. Sirin Labs Finney This phone is designed with blockchain technology. It has layers of cyber protection and comes with a cold storage wallet for cryptocurrencies. It also has tools for private communication. People who deal in crypto or work in high-profile roles love this phone. 4. Purism Librem 5 Librem 5 is based on Linux and gives full privacy control to the user. It has special hardware switches to turn off the camera, microphone, or Wi-Fi whenever you want. This is great for people who want to be extra careful with their privacy. 5. Apple iPhone (iOS 17 and above) iPhones are already very popular, but they're also super secure. With features like Secure Enclave and end-to-end encryption, even government agencies trust them. These phones are easy to use but tough for hackers to break into. 6. (Bonus Mention) GrapheneOS on Pixel Phones Some experts install a special system called GrapheneOS on Google Pixel phones. It's open-source and adds an extra layer of privacy and security, even more than regular Android.
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Forbes
Google Starts Scanning Your Photos—3 Billion Users Must Now Decide
Big brother is here. getty When Google added photo scanning technology to Android phones, it caused a huge backlash, with the company accused of 'secretly' installing new monitoring technology on Android phones 'without user permission.' At the time, Google assured me that SafetyCore was an enabling framework and would not actually start scanning photos or other content. The new app, it said, 'provides on-device infrastructure for securely and privately performing classification to help users detect unwanted content. Users control SafetyCore, and SafetyCore only classifies specific content when an app requests it through an optionally enabled feature.' Well that time has now come and it starts with Google Messages. As reported by 9to5Google, 'Google Messages is rolling out Sensitive Content Warnings that blur nude images on Android.' Not only does it blur content, but it also warns that such imagery can be harmful and provides options to view explicit content or block numbers. This AI scanning takes place on device, and Google also assures that nothing is sent back to them. Android hardener GrapheneOS backed up that claim: SafetyCore 'doesn't provide client-side scanning used to report things to Google or anyone else. It provides on-device machine learning models usable by applications to classify content as being spam, scams, malware, etc. This allows apps to check content locally without sharing it with a service and mark it with warnings for users.' AI photo monitoring is here 9to5Google But GrapheneOS also lamented that "it's unfortunate that it's not open source and released as part of the Android Open Source Project and the models also aren't open let alone open source… We'd have no problem with having local neural network features for users, but they'd have to be open source.' Back to that secrecy point, again. The Google Messages update was expected. The question now is what comes next. And the risk is that the capability is being introduced at the same time as secure, encrypted user content is under increasing pressure from legislators and security agencies around the world. Each time such technology is introduced, privacy advocates push back. For now the feature is disabled by default for adults but enabled by default for children. Adults can decide to enable the new safety measures in Google Messages Settings, under Protection & Safety— Manage sensitive content warnings. Depending on a child's age, their settings can only be changed in either their account settings or Family Link. This doesn't end here, and so just as with Gmail and other platforms, Google's 3 billion Android, email and other users will need to decide what level of AI scanning, monitoring and analysis they're comfortable with and where they draw the line. This is on-device, but many of the new updates don't have that same privacy protection. AI monitoring is here to stay and will take some getting used to. As Phone Arena points out, the new photo scanning 'also works in reverse; if you try to send or forward an image that might be considered sensitive, Messages will flash a heads-up to let you know what you're about to share, and you'll have to confirm before it goes through.' Welcome to the brave new world of 'big brother' AI.
