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Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

aalto.fi

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Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#91

Post by sebtron »

jzzskijj wrote: post #72
lrvick wrote: post #50

I remain shocked anyone trusts Meta, Google, or Apple marketing on privacy. These companies are all fundamentally similar in that their proprietary software collects an insane amount of data that will end up in the hands of your enemies either by sale, court order, or security compromise. It is relatively easy to opt out of all of these companies and take some actual control over your privacy.

What is the easiest way to get comparable smartphone experience with some actual control over your privacy?

Your choices are very limited, but you can get an android phone supported by LineageOS or other alternative roms.

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#92

Post by geokon »

poochkoishi728 wrote: post #52

Always wanted the option to disable network access for an app. The lack of this made me suspect that Apple had too much to lose (in harvesting data) to allow this.

Android has this in the app manifest, but of course Google doesn't expose this to users

Are they're any ROMs that do?

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#93

Post by lrvick »

madeofpalk wrote: post #65
lrvick wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple can remotely execute code on any internet connected device running an proprietary Apple operating system. It is only a matter of time before courts realize this. The CCP controls the Apple software signing HSMs in China for a reason.

But if this is your threat model - that you have no trust of the operating system or the vendor - then all of this is pointless because at any time they can just backdoor themselves. Apple could just never ask or collect this, but still they're one update away from starting to collect it. Of course that's always a threat with any computer, but you must place some amount of trust somewhere .

If Apple did not collect the data today, then a court order in the future will not allow them to collect data that was not stored today.

Personally I only use reproducibly built FOSS software and I isolate most of my hardware and workloads from each other with virtual machines via QubesOS.

Proprietary software is not at all required to be well integrated into modern society.

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#94

Post by walterbell »

poochkoishi728 wrote: post #52

Always wanted the option to disable network access for an app. The lack of this made me suspect that Apple had too much to lose (in harvesting data) to allow this.

iOS has a "Local Network" Setting for some apps, e.g. VLC, PhotoSync.

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#95

Post by lrvick »

threeseed wrote: post #86
lrvick wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple can remotely execute code on any internet connected device running an proprietary Apple operating system. It is only a matter of time before courts realize this. The CCP controls the Apple software signing HSMs in China for a reason.

[flagged]

Apple operating systems automatically apply patches to devices for critical security updates so long as those patches are signed by a cryptographic private key held by Apple. That is in fact an RCE system that already exists.

There also exist humans that have access to those private keys, and those humans can be controlled by money, court orders, or violence.

In China the CCP has control over the software signing keys, so they can push any software to any apple device they like.

How long before US politicians start demanding the same?

Or maybe they just make a security mistake. Maybe a state actor performs a side channel attack on the known vulnerable Apple Silicon that powers their HSMs.

SPOFs always tend to fail.

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#96

Post by AlecSchueler »

nicce wrote: post #83
rcarmo wrote: post #76

For privacy-conscious people, the authors certainly picked an outlet with plenty of cookies and trackers - this is what the popup shows me when I pick "customise": 17 necessary cookies 7 functional 34 statistics 49 marketing 10 unclassified This kind of thing makes the article seem... ridiculous, really. Their site is much worse at privacy than Apple.

Not their fault to be fair. Blame management of Aalto University.

Who is "management?" The author of the article is listed as the university's communications manager so they wouldn't be totally without a voice in these decisions.

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#97

Post by 23B1 »

lrvick wrote: post #70
wkat4242 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And get locked out of 80% of modern life :(

That is just not true. I have not carried a phone or an Google/Apple controlled device in 3+ years and exclusively use FOSS on a personal basis. I live in Silicon Valley, run a b2b tech company, have a huge group of local friends, and have never been excluded from anything I wanted in my life for not having a phone. Paper menus are available if you ask, sms can be converted to VoIP, you do not need Genie Plus to navi…

> I live in Silicon Valley, run a b2b tech company ... I have not carried a phone or an Google/Apple controlled device in 3+ years and exclusively use FOSS on a personal basis.

Y'know, a regular salt-of-the-earth type guy

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#98

Post by dagaci »

rcarmo wrote: post #76

For privacy-conscious people, the authors certainly picked an outlet with plenty of cookies and trackers - this is what the popup shows me when I pick "customise": 17 necessary cookies 7 functional 34 statistics 49 marketing 10 unclassified This kind of thing makes the article seem... ridiculous, really. Their site is much worse at privacy than Apple.

The point is that there are so many commentators who assert that Apple is great on privacy issues, so that many people (including me) automatically believed that buying (expensive) Apple products will automatically lead to improved privacy vs other vendors. This post is calling that BS. Attacking the article/website for have cookies, is a distraction from the actual point.

And anyway if you want to see tracking cookies with a browse you only have to use Option + ⌘ + J (on macOS), or Shift + CTRL + J (on Windows/Linux). Easy. It is much more difficult to see if you are being tracked and what data is being tracked and how it is being used on your mac or iphone.

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#99

Post by aembleton »

geokon wrote: post #92
poochkoishi728 wrote: post #52

Always wanted the option to disable network access for an app. The lack of this made me suspect that Apple had too much to lose (in harvesting data) to allow this.

Android has this in the app manifest, but of course Google doesn't expose this to users Are they're any ROMs that do?

I used to be able to on ArrowOS, LineageOS and I think on MIUI. Its been a few years since I gave up on custom roms though, so it may no longer be the case.

Re: Keeping your data from Apple is harder than expected

#100

Post by Terretta »

lrvick wrote: post #50

I remain shocked anyone trusts Meta, Google, or Apple marketing on privacy. These companies are all fundamentally similar in that their proprietary software collects an insane amount of data that will end up in the hands of your enemies either by sale, court order, or security compromise. It is relatively easy to opt out of all of these companies and take some actual control over your privacy.

They are fundamentally different in that two of them derive revenue solely* from exploiting your data, and one of them doesn't.

* by-and-large

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