HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#1

Post by _____k » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 9:57 AM UTC

HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden
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Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#2

Post by itsthecourier » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:05 AM UTC

probably because bitwarden has a permission to overlay other apps and HSBC thinks it's malware stealing your access to your bank

Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#3

Post by arccy » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:07 AM UTC

itsthecourier wrote: post #2

probably because bitwarden has a permission to overlay other apps and HSBC thinks it's malware stealing your access to your bank

I think from HSBC's risk management perspective, it's fairly reasonable

Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#4

Post by zb3 » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:08 AM UTC

itsthecourier wrote: post #2

probably because bitwarden has a permission to overlay other apps and HSBC thinks it's malware stealing your access to your bank

But the user needs to be able to override this faulty check, albeit my solution is to never let any app decide what I can have on my device by not installing the app.

EDIT: there's also Android Protected Confirmation that works in the TrustZone so apps can't display over that. It was made exactly for apps like banking apps, so they should use it.

Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#5

Post by zb3 » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:10 AM UTC

We can't let banking apps invade our property.. things like banking apps need so much control in order to be secure that they need to exist on dedicated devices.

Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#6

Post by yellow_lead » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:10 AM UTC

I thought Google removed the API that let you see other apps on the device. Maybe there's another API I'm not aware of though

Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#7

Post by hasperdi » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:11 AM UTC

It will not work either if you have developer mode enabled.

These things HSBC app does, I think it's overreaching

Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#8

Post by notpushkin » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:11 AM UTC

zb3 wrote: post #5

We can't let banking apps invade our property.. things like banking apps need so much control in order to be secure that they need to exist on dedicated devices.

> things like banking apps need so much control in order to be secure

They don’t. It’s a security theatre.

Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#9

Post by sschueller » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:13 AM UTC

That's Google's SafeNet. HSBC picked a level that causes this. Google manages the blacklist of apps.

We are rapidly losing our freedoms to the will of these companies. If they decide they don't want to they can even if the law doesn't forbid it.

People in Switzerland and the EU are being de-banked by local banks because of US pressure allowing them to force any bank that wants to use USD. The US has started to sanction people for free speech resulting in de-banking.

Swiss law requires one bank (Postfinance) to offer banking irregardless but if you are sanctioned you can't use the wire system, no other currencies, no credit cards and you cant use Twint either so it's in effect useless. You can't pay for your health insurance or rent.

Re: HSBC blocks its app due to F-Droid-installed Bitwarden

#10

Post by throwaway81523 » Tue, Dec 30, 2025, 10:13 AM UTC

I use a separate phone for non-F-droid apps.