Live data from Hacker News

Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

news.ycombinator.com

71–80 of 361 posts

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#71
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does a rooted phone enable bank fraud? This smells like pointless policy checkboxing.

If you run a rooted phone and download malware, that malware can gain root and do payments on your behalf. Then PayPal has to deal with you revoking payments etc., they don't want to so they forbid you from using PayPal on a rooted phone.

Graphene isn't rooted.

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#72
post #17

This is arguably the most irritating thing with just about every largecorp developer: "os that hasn't been updated in 6 years? Sure boss!". Os that is built specifically around security and privacy with daily updates: "No, you can't do that". Annoying - yes. Safe way to make sure I will stop being your customer - also YES!

"Safe way to make sure I will stop being your customer - also YES!" I don't think they care at all about the size of graphene os market share if its jeopardize entire userbase then its not worth it

Fine by me. My example illustrates their incompetence if they are willing to let a user with an OS that hasn't received any updates in half a decade, then clearly, they don't give a single crap about security.

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you run a rooted phone and download malware, that malware can gain root and do payments on your behalf. Then PayPal has to deal with you revoking payments etc., they don't want to so they forbid you from using PayPal on a rooted phone.

If this happens it's the device owners fault and they should be responsible for it.

Which they would be anyway since PayPal isn’t a bank and isn’t FDIC insured.

They allow you to open PayPal.com on any web browser. Running Windows/macOS/Linux is basically identical to a rooted Android phone (you have local admin rights, you can modify and automate the browser, and can run unsigned code).

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#74
post #31

Has PayPal blocked GrapheneOS, or have they blocked every OS they're unable to verify and done a poor job of implementing their checks? Hanlon's Razor is a useful tool. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon%27s_razor

They have blocked rooted phones based on the error provided. Nothing to do with verification. They treat rooted phones to a level they don't with phones without critical security updates. That's the tension. Non-rooted phones aren't necessarily unsafer.

Graphene isn't rooted....

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#75
post #64
post #53

Still works for me. I had to update exploit protection after their latest update — I think it was enabling dynamic code loading via both memory and storage that did the trick. Edit: checked now, I have also disabled secure app spawning.

Interesting, just inferring from that it sounds like GrapheneOS's actual-security features might have been tripping up PayPal's root-detection "security" features. (Rather than something fundamentally incompatible, like them using Play Integrity)

There are valid RASP techniques that involve dynamic code loading, so it actually makes a lot of sense. Source: I worked on RASP a long time ago :)

IMO headline is very misleading, and OP should have tried disabling all exploit protection options before jumping to any conclusions. PayPal isn't actively trying to block GrapheneOS as of now.

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#76

Why would anyone still use PayPal after so many cases of accounts being banned and funds being frozen for no reason, and all the other terrible stuff they've done?

I simply use it as an intermediary between my bank and any website I don't fully trust

I use "virtual card" for those needs. For me, it doesn't justify bringing out PayPal

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thought they use Sepa

SEPA uses your IBAN (account number), and one can also enter this account number for payment, implicitly allowing the store to withdraw money from it...

Well yes. But just in case this wasn't clear: this is a crime, and you will get your money back in most cases. It's on the merchant to ensure a Direct Debit Mandate is actually valid.

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thought they use Sepa

SEPA uses your IBAN (account number), and one can also enter this account number for payment, implicitly allowing the store to withdraw money from it...

I do not think it is possible to withdraw money having only an IBAN. It would need a SEPA direct debit mandate for my bank to accept the transfer request.

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you run a rooted phone and download malware, that malware can gain root and do payments on your behalf. Then PayPal has to deal with you revoking payments etc., they don't want to so they forbid you from using PayPal on a rooted phone.

If this happens it's the device owners fault and they should be responsible for it.

No, no... In 2026, all footguns are banned. Even in programming, so if something allows a footgun, it's banned now.

Apparently the world can't adult and be responsible for their actions, or people believe in that.

Re: Tell HN: PayPal blocks GrapheneOS

#80
post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you run a rooted phone and download malware, that malware can gain root and do payments on your behalf. Then PayPal has to deal with you revoking payments etc., they don't want to so they forbid you from using PayPal on a rooted phone.

Graphene isn't rooted.

Not only is it not rooted, it runs real Google Play services. It’s not microG.
Post reply on HN