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Switching to custom rom on android device with data (infosec.pub)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

25 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hello all,

Currently I am debating whether or not to switch to a (preferably private/secure) custom rom on my device, however said device had been in use for a while now.

My question is the following: For those who have been in this situation, how have you dealt with the existing data on the device in terms of migration? After all, switching ROM usually involves a factory reset. Creating backups of everything is a bit tedious and timeconsuming and there is always the possibility of forgetting something.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Uhm, not necessarily. First of all, aosp should get security updates at the same time as graphene (or earlier, which is more likely); then there are non-pixel phones (yuck, I know) that aren't supported by graphene guys, and when those go eol, custom roms often keep pushing [software] security updates for some time at least (source: this message is sent from a 1+5t running DivestOS based on android 13); finally, stock roms may arguably ('cause vendors introduce bloatware, which can potentially be used in ways not intended by its developers) be more secure, but they suck at privacy department in like 99 of 100 cases

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

AOSP does get security updates first because GrapheneOS is based on unmodified AOSP. They are quick to port over updates though and they have extra features like hardened malloc and better user profile support.

Non pixel phones aren't secure because GrapheneOS doesn't support them. They aren't secure because they either don't have secure elements, broken verified boot, or don't properly support alternative operating systems. This makes phones like OnePlus, Fairphone, etc not secure enough for GrapheneOS.

DivestOS I would say is the least worst option when it comes to supporting EoL phones. They're at least honest about what they do and don't provide unlike what other OSes do. On their website, they tell you they aren't a secure OS and they can only try their best to reduce harm on an EoL device. DivestOS Security.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Pretty much agreed. Although, onepluses used to be quite good before they decided to stop allowing setting custom vb keys.

What I wanted to say is that security is a spectrum, and stock roms aren't necessarily the best.

P.s. other roms sometimes use stuff like hardened malloc as well (ik that its developed by graphene, tho) yet none (except graphene itself, ofc) I've personally tested have storage (and as of recently cobtact) scopes which is quite sad.