[HN Gopher] GrapheneOS: The private and secure mobile OS
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       GrapheneOS: The private and secure mobile OS
        
       Author : rdpintqogeogsaa
       Score  : 29 points
       Date   : 2022-07-16 14:36 UTC (8 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (grapheneos.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (grapheneos.org)
        
       | azalemeth wrote:
       | I still wish grapheneOS would let you use a rooted version of
       | it....
        
       | webmobdev wrote:
       | Can't understand their warped logic in providing a mobile OS
       | stripped of Google services, while officially supporting the
       | mobile OS only on a mobile phone offered by Google! How is that
       | supposed to inspire any confidence? (For those wondering what
       | other good alternative hardware is available for such a project,
       | Sony _" Open Devices"_ offers a set of mobile devices with "open"
       | bootloaders along with AOSP device configurations and build
       | guides - https://developer.sony.com/develop/open-devices/get-
       | started/... ... it's also a bonus that Sony makes good quality
       | phones).
        
         | i13e wrote:
         | From my understanding it has to do with the fact that only
         | Google phones contain a security chip which allows you to use
         | verified boot and re-lock the bootloader on a custom ROMS.
         | Graphene's threat model places security over privacy so if that
         | doesn't align with your goals then it probably isn't the
         | product for you
         | 
         | I didn't know Sony had an "Open Devices" program, so thanks for
         | bringing it to my attention. Apart from the price of their
         | phones, I think that makes Sony a strong competitor to Google
         | for people who value privacy over security and want a really
         | good phone (spec-wise) that can flash a custom ROM out of the
         | box.
        
           | bubblethink wrote:
           | >places security over privacy
           | 
           | This is wrong. The OP is wrong, and you provided a partial
           | explanation with additional wrong information.
           | 
           | GrapheneOS has minimum device criteria, and currently only
           | Pixel devices meet that. All the other commentary is
           | nonsense.
        
           | Wavelets wrote:
           | Has there been any analysis done on the firmware running on
           | the various ICs in the Pixel phones?
        
         | aluminaient wrote:
         | The logic is not warped. Goegle makes very secure hardware.
         | Conceivably samsung tpm would work too, but too much work to
         | support so many hardware.
         | 
         | Its the only smart phone that can guarantee the radio is off
         | when you put it in airplane mode.
        
         | squarefoot wrote:
         | I found that odd as well; they could be confident that the
         | Pixel phones hardware isn't backdoored at iron+firmware level,
         | which would defeat any protection at upper OS and software
         | level created by GrapheneOS.
        
       | Jemm wrote:
       | https://grapheneos.org/faq#supported-devices
        
       | palata wrote:
       | Does somebody have an opinion about GrapheneOS vs CalyxOS or /e/
       | OS?
       | 
       | I would be interested, they all seem nice.
        
       | gravitate wrote:
       | Anyone know where I can buy a phone flashed with GrapheneOS? The
       | thoughts of messing with my phone's default OS is daunting and
       | I'm scared of bricking it.
        
         | whyagain1885 wrote:
         | https://shop.nitrokey.com/shop
        
         | crocodiletears wrote:
         | I think https://noagendaphone.com is still offering this
         | service
        
         | aluminaient wrote:
         | Surprisingly, of any rom you could install, graphene is the
         | simplest. You just open a website after installing android
         | drivers for your pc. Its an impressive feat on its own beyond
         | how impressive the software is.
        
         | aesh2Xa1 wrote:
         | There is no official store, and the official project does not
         | reference any third-party vendors.
         | 
         | You do have options:
         | 
         | 1. Do you want to buy a third-party device like a NitroPhone?
         | If you can afford to purchase a phone in the first place, then
         | purchase a used phone to try flashing GrapehenOS. You can buy
         | multiple used devices for the cost of such a device, and then
         | you can familiarize yourself with the flashing procedure.
         | 
         | 2. Have a friend help you. There are probably events in your
         | town that you could find on Facebook, Reddit, or Meetup (e.g.,
         | OS install parties are a thing).
         | 
         | 3. Wait for the official project to begin selling their
         | hardware:
         | https://twitter.com/grapheneos/status/1490518600339308544
        
         | quesomaster9000 wrote:
         | You don't want to buy a phone pre-flashed with GrapheneOS, this
         | was the problem with CopperheadOS - they would only flash the
         | phone if you sent it to them (unattended, across 2+ customs
         | borders) - apparently that caused some internal strife.
         | 
         | Seriously though, pick up a Pixel 6, flash it at home via Web-
         | USB.
         | 
         | My only qualm is that the Google bootloader doesn't show a QR
         | code on boot to verify the kernel image being loaded, instead
         | it simply shows a big yellow warning saying the OS is
         | unsupported with no way of verifying if it's the GrapheneOS
         | image you loaded or one the maid loaded while you were AFK.
        
           | 616c wrote:
           | Did it and on a similar pixel device and love it so much! Was
           | super skeptical of the webusb thing as a jaded old fart
           | (which IIRC is funded by the community) and I whistled with
           | sheer amazement it worked perfectly the second time. First
           | failure was BC of flakey internet with a bad download and a
           | time crunch when another phone died.
           | 
           | I have hated android not meeting my own personal watermark in
           | respecting open dev and privacy forward user design at its
           | core. This project, although not core and on the fringe,
           | gives me a small glimmer of hope in a dark smart phone world!
           | Been a stable daily driver for like six months now.
        
         | aaaaaaaaata wrote:
         | Use the WebUSB PWA, you can follow "new user friendly"
         | instructions.
         | 
         | https://grapheneos.org/install/web
        
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       (page generated 2022-07-16 23:01 UTC)