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Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

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Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#101

Post by mumbisChungo »

throwaway290 wrote: post #97
callc wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Having root access is not in the interest OR benefit of most regular users. What about desktop OSes for the last 40/50 years? Sure they aren’t the foam-padded locked down phone OSes, but isn’t this fear a case of leaving said padded room?

Computer usage and consequently threat landscape went through a crazy change from 40/50 years ago. Desktops are a minority of devices. If you take personal devices even more so. Most people in the world with a computer have just a pocket one. Especially in WANA countries discussed If you talk to regular non IT savvy people many of them don't bother and correctly assume that at some point it will "get a virus" or some…

>almost no one uses desktop for critical stuff like payment or finance.

I'm not saying this is wrong (in fact I assume it is accurate), but relative to my life experience this is crazy to me.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#102

Post by bracketfocus »

grishka wrote: post #86
hmcq6 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not being pedantic. Disabling the application does not give me the storage space back. If people are paying for upgrades to storage space it's completely reasonable for them to be annoyed by bloatware

The system partition is usually the same size regardless of which storage option of the same phone model you get.

But if the system partition could be smaller, other partitions could be larger.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#104

Post by pomian »

anonymars wrote: post #27
boramalper wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> AppCloud—pre-installed on Samsung’s A and M series smartphones. Samsung’s A and M series smartphones are their cheapest models so their buyers probably cannot afford better phones. I don’t know of any other brands selling in the region with similarly priced models that have better privacy practices than Samsung either—they’re all the same at that price point I’m afraid.

In my case I wanted a damn SD card slot. And more than 2 years of security updates.

Motorola. Plus it still has an audio port.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#105

Post by htowi3j4324234 »

boramalper wrote: post #10

I suspect a strong link between mass surveillance (by corporations for advertising or by states for intelligence purposes) and the very recent targeting of the senior Iranian nuclear scientist and military officers at their homes in Iran. Wherever you are from or whatever side of the conflict you are on, I think we can all agree that it’s never been easier to infer so much about a person from “semi-public” sources su…

If a state actor is after you, cookie and GAIA-id tracking should be the least of your concerns.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#106

Post by grishka »

bracketfocus wrote: post #102
grishka wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The system partition is usually the same size regardless of which storage option of the same phone model you get.

But if the system partition could be smaller, other partitions could be larger.

The system partition is made some fixed size, the same way disk partitioning works on PCs, and never resized, because resizing file systems is still a non-trivial task. It often has some free space too to accommodate future system updates.

On my 128 GB Pixel 9 Pro, /data is 109 GB. The rest is /system (although `df -h` doesn't show it explicitly, no idea what's up with that) and various other system-related partitions.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#107

Post by more-nitor »

imp0cat wrote: post #83
anonymars wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my case I wanted a damn SD card slot. And more than 2 years of security updates.

Ano now you see why Samsung is able to provide all that at an attractive price. The real costs are hidden.

hmm have you actually read the article? did you find anything of "substance" other than hand-wavy "this company is from israel, so must be mosad" or "has notorious for its questionable practices" (without even giving actual examples or incidents)?

I mean, if I was the mosad guy planting a deal with samsung, I wouldn't even name the app "AppCloud"

heck, why would you even make it appear to the user?

this is a classic competitor-bashing article -- no substance, only hand-wavy "this guys bad!"

I'm guessing this can be traced to others like xiami/huawei/etc who definitely want to get samsung's slice of the market there

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#108

Post by ulrikrasmussen »

userbinator wrote: post #24

making it nearly impossible for regular users to uninstall it without root access, which voids warranties and poses security risks Stop parroting the corporate propaganda that put us into this stupid situation in the first place. Having root access on devices you own should be a fundamental right, as otherwise it's not ownership.

We need regulation which defines that any hardware device capable of running software developed by a third party different from the hardware manufacturer qualifies as a general purpose computing device, and that any such device is disallowed to put cryptographic or other restrictions on what software the user wants to execute. This pertains to all programmable components on the device, including low-level hardware controllers.

These restrictions extend outside the particular device. It must also be illegal as a commercial entity to enforce security schemes which involve remote attestation of the software stack on the client device such that service providers can refuse to service clients based on failing attestation. Service providers have other means of protecting themselves, taking away users control of their own devices is a heavy handed and unnecessarily draconian approach which ultimately only benefits the ad company that happens to make the software stack since they also benefit from restricting what software users can run. Hypothetically, they might be interested in making it impossible to modify video players to skip ads.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#109

Post by sprinkly-dust »

burnt-resistor wrote: post #70
potamic wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can default to a hardened, secure setup but provide an option to override to those who want to. I don't think anyone is against secure defaults, but many people have a problem with designs that say you must not even have an option to override.

It creates a Hobson's choice of no tinkering and less malware, or tinkering and greater risks from malware. There should be a "maintenance mode", but the onus of responsibility for breakage should be on the user for system update compatibility without the user being held hostage. This is a false choice and ostensible customizability. If the manufacturer wants to add an "OS warranty void sticker" flag because things m…

It is my experience that this is what Google does with their Pixel phones. It is really quite simple to unlock the bootloader and do whatever you want on a Google Pixel you own (i.e unlocked, no carrier). They even give you this really handy Android flash tool which uses WebUSB to fully restore your device when you mess up. Heck, custom ROMs like GrapheneOS and CalyxOS are even able to sign their own images and allow you to lock the bootloader with a non Google OS.

However, all this comes with the caveat that SafetyNet will flay you alive. The cat and mouse game with Magisk and other methods to maintain root undetected is moot when I've used apps these days that make a fuss when you have developer settings enabled. To be honest, that seems acceptable to me, I can do what I want with my device, software vendors like banks and the like have a say in how I choose to access their more convenient services. I can play nice with them if I want, even using a second phone perhaps, but I have a choice.

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