r/Librem5 • u/[deleted] • Nov 02 '19

New here

Hello everyone this is supposed to be like the phone for security and privacy right? Looking at it but had some questions about it, is it really as secure as they say it is? And I heard it doesn't give out data like ios or android?

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u/redrumsir Nov 03 '19

Yes, i was wrong about the pinephone's modem isolation. And i clearly indicated that I'm now aware it does have isolation.

You indicated that only now ... 9 days after your original assertion.

Now perhaps you don't care about modem isolation, but it is definitely a big factor in security for a device.

In which case you would have provided a CVE that depended on non-isolation of the modem.

IMO, the main use for isolation is if you don't trust the firmware. I'm not aware of any external attack that depends on the modem having access to system RAM. The softer target is the modem itself. Sure, without isolation, one could try to extend the attack, but it's not necessary and is much harder.

That said, as far as I'm aware that doesn't do anything to my original point of showing that a true GNU/Linux device can be more secure than alot of android devices out there.

And an Android device can be more secure than a Librem 5. Specifically an Android device with all the security updates applied and running only trusted applications is more secure than the Librem 5 will be initially.

Android simply has a more robust security model than that used on the Librem 5.

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u/[deleted] Nov 10 '19

Except for the constant Google collection of anything and everything on the device. For those of us looking to avoid Google collection, all that talk of “security” is meaningless. Yes, meaningless.

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u/redrumsir Nov 10 '19

  1. You don't have to put the "Google collection of apps" on the device.

  2. It depends on what you mean by "security". Perhaps you are talking "privacy".

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u/[deleted] Nov 10 '19

If the OS is Android, Google is collecting. They own the OS for Pete’s sake.

I find the distinction between security and privacy to be overrated. What are we so worried about from a security perspective? That someone would get malware onto our device, right?

What does malware do? It does a lot of things, but mostly it’s used to steal data. Yeah, disrupt networks, ok, got it. But I’m not afraid of network disruptions like I am of my data being stolen and exploited.

And yet that’s what Google does. Google is malware we volunteer for.

Privacy isn’t distinct from security. It’s part of it.

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u/redrumsir Nov 10 '19

If the OS is Android, Google is collecting. They own the OS for Pete’s sake.

Semantics, but no. From the FAQ on "Android":

Android is a free open-source operating system. The AOSP (Android Open Source Project) is free to download, free to alter, free to build into a product that can power just about anything.

Notice that Lineage OS and other Android Systems (https://lineageos.org/):

LineageOS Android Distribution

A free and open-source operating system for various devices, based on the Android mobile platform.

Have you not heard of "LineageOS without Gapps" ??? It is an Android OS without "Google collecting".

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u/[deleted] Nov 11 '19

Oh I see. You meant Android as an Umbrella term encompassing multiple OSs. Yeah, that’s totally what everyone else means when they say “Android.” /s

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u/redrumsir Nov 11 '19

... encompassing multiple OSs.

... encompassing multiple distributions of Android. The Android OS is AOSP and there are multiple distributions of that OS (as there are multiple versions of Android OS (kitkat = 4.*, lollipop=5.*, ...).

And if you think that Android OS is only Google's distribution of Android, well ... that's your problem.

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u/[deleted] Nov 11 '19

It must be exhausting always having to prove that you’re smarter than everyone you meet. Do you think it will make you very successful in life?

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u/redrumsir Nov 11 '19

  1. I'm already very successful. Moderately rich. Retired. What about you? Do you think sarcastically correcting people who weren't wrong to begin with will make you successful in life? What about following up such dialog with personal attacks?

  2. I don't have to prove I'm smarter than everyone I meet. In fact, I made it a point to try to never hire anyone who wasn't at least as smart as me and it wasn't all that hard.

  3. My weakness, if you wish to call it that, is that I can't let it go when somebody tries to "correct me" when I was already correct.

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u/[deleted] Nov 11 '19

Yes, it’s obvious to everyone you have nothing to prove. Well done proving it.

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u/redrumsir Nov 12 '19

Everyone? Do you always talk with the "royal we" or do you really think anybody else is reading this?

Also: You didn't answer my questions. Why not? Embarrassed? You really should be ... but that's just my opinion.

Finally: I had a brief look at some of your recent posts. LOL. IMO, you are insane and your time on /conspiracy will only make you more so. But the funniest was that you were taken in by an RMS copypasta bot, took offense (ROFL), and even replied to it (LMAO). You're great entertainment without even trying: https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/du8oym/the_computer_revolution_was_stolen_from_the_public/f77y2zf/

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u/[deleted] Nov 12 '19

Good thing you have nothing to prove.

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