Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020) • Hacker News Board

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#331

Post by gverrilla » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:14 AM UTC

goodells wrote: post #294

Related to Xiaomi, the company is also doing some sketchy things in the smart home space under their brand "Aqara". I use HomeKit in my apartment and opted for Aqara branded wireless buttons and temp/humidity sensors because of the attractive hardware and good reviews. The devices require a wi-fi connected hub, not too strange for things that use Zigbee, so I gave that a go. Well, on cursory examination, the Aqara/Xi…

Couldn't you just return the hardware to the store and receive payback where you live?

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#332

Post by purecoolnesss » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:18 AM UTC

firebaze wrote: post #167

ckozlowski wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect that your point is that "a Chinese device doesn't mean it's reporting to China." I think it's good not to make this assumption. That said, I also think it's incredibly naive to think that a collection system wouldn't make use of a local proxy to mask the ultimate destination of the information. It's such a trivial task to do, and provides a host of benefits to obfuscate and sow doubt as to where the data is…

It's incredibly naive to assume NSA/* doesn't do the same, even if that affects your daily life as a human/business owner about as much. I despise the chinese government - may it concern Uighurs or the treatment of Tibetans. Still I have a hard time believing none of my data collected by google is used by the US administration, which, as we know, is not always lead by a trustful person. Still, if I had to choose whom…

The difference between china and US collecting data is one is evil one is not but in reality that kind of data collection is unethical no matter who is doing it.

To some of us there is not much difference.

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#333

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:30 AM UTC

approxim8ion wrote: post #325

dave_sullivan wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Went through this recently. Had to download xiaomi unlock software to unlock the bootloader. Probably sent an image of my hard drive back to china in the process. And the 7 day wait period. Really is an example of price too good to be true because they collect your data and probably get huge government subsidies to do so. Nice phone though once you flash it.

>Probably sent an image of my hard drive back to china in the process. Come on. Do better.

[deleted]

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#334

Post by throwawei369 » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:32 AM UTC

prima-facie wrote: post #206

What's worse is that the whole OS is actually spying on you, not just the Mi browser. Even when idle my phone is trying to send bits of data to their servers. Xiaomi are great but for me this is the end of the line with their phones. Privacy comes at a premium nowadays and lots of us are willing to pay for it. Those affected can block the following domains from resolving: - data.mistat.intl.xiaomi.com - sdkconfig.ad.…

> data.mistat.intl.xiaomi.com

Ah. I'd recognize this spy domain anywhere since it regularly features in my pihole's top 5 blacklisted ones

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#335

Post by baybal2 » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:32 AM UTC

giantrobot wrote: post #328

baybal2 wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who said you cannot? Just do it, and see.

Every radio regulation agency on the planet? Most radio hardware is capable of operating outside of regulated limits. The device firmware is usually what keeps the devices running within their regulated limits and gets those components licenses to be sold. Anyone selling regulated devices running outside of their regulated envelope faces fines and even criminal charges. Cell phones only work because the millions of d…

No, pretty of radio transmitting equipment are fully open soft modems.

As far as I know, there is no licensing whatsoever for baseband makers?

Where did you get that it is?

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#336

Post by throwawei369 » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:37 AM UTC

BelenusMordred wrote: post #316

antonzabirko wrote: post #6

Did you really need to investigate this to realize it's spyware? This and chrome and most web browsers are spyware at this point.

Chromes "Software Reporter Tool" basically scans your whole computer and sends that data off to Google/NSA. It's literal spyware. Firefox doesn't do this.

Instead Firefox uploads your geographical location to their servers every time it starts up. And before you ask, this telemetry cannot be stopped.

And when you finally manage to do some therapeutic dissonance from the above default behaviour.

Whenever you use the inbuilt DoH on Firefox, FF shares this stats with Cloudflare too.

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#337

Post by txdv » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:38 AM UTC

goodells wrote: post #294

Related to Xiaomi, the company is also doing some sketchy things in the smart home space under their brand "Aqara". I use HomeKit in my apartment and opted for Aqara branded wireless buttons and temp/humidity sensors because of the attractive hardware and good reviews. The devices require a wi-fi connected hub, not too strange for things that use Zigbee, so I gave that a go. Well, on cursory examination, the Aqara/Xi…

I blocked all Chinese subnets because of the constant tries to log in to my servers.

Obviously Xiaomi devices do not work in my network anymore.

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#338

Post by throwawei369 » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:43 AM UTC

de6u99er wrote: post #310

That's why I will never vecomr a billionaire. I would never do something to someone else, that I don't eant to be done to me.

I can tell your age by this comment. I'll leave you with this quote.

"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#339

Post by tirpen » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:44 AM UTC

nialv7 wrote: post #305

goodells wrote: post #294

Related to Xiaomi, the company is also doing some sketchy things in the smart home space under their brand "Aqara". I use HomeKit in my apartment and opted for Aqara branded wireless buttons and temp/humidity sensors because of the attractive hardware and good reviews. The devices require a wi-fi connected hub, not too strange for things that use Zigbee, so I gave that a go. Well, on cursory examination, the Aqara/Xi…

> The devices require a wi-fi connected hub, not too strange for things that use Zigbee Wait, why would Zigbee devices require Wi-Fi connection? That would be a red flag for me, I would have avoided products like this.

Usually so you can control the devices from your smartphone. Phone talks to hub over local wi-fi, hub talks to devices over Zigbee. They might have a web interface where you can program schedules for the lights, define "scenes" and such. So it's not entirely pointless.

There is however no reason why the hub should have internet access though.

Re: Are Xiaomi browsers spyware? Yes, they are (2020)

#340

Post by usr1106 » Tue, Mar 02, 2021, 6:49 AM UTC

Keyframe wrote: post #194

serial_dev wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, people give US companies way to much slack... But then what am I supposed to do if I'm European? The US and China pretty much covers the mobile market (and what's not covered is still not European).

The US and China pretty much covers the mobile market (and what's not covered is still not European). Remember when this was the other way around? How did we come to this in ~two decades?

I know first hand that Nokia top and middle management understood nothing about software development or quality. The tools and practices used in the whole development were horrible. After a couple of years they just drowned in bugs and new products came slower and slower, failed projects more and more frequent.

I have no idea whether it's equally bad at Google/Android or Apple. I have the feeling it's not.

I don't think China really dominates in software world-wide. Xiaomi seems more like an exception to me. Hardware is a different story.