Android Security vs Customize-ability. What would you rather have??

[gliliumho]

As much as I'd like my phone to be secure, I want to be able to root my device. I hope they can sorta make it secure but unlockable to be rooted.

[EChondo]

To what degree is Android a security issue? Someone "hacking" into my device to somehow read my texts or something?

My phone does not have compromisable data or information on it and it never will. A phone is a tool, not your personal computer so it should not be used as one. I have never installed an anti-virus onto my phone as there is no need, there are no security issues into which I, as a consumer, will have problems with my social security number or credit card information being stolen from my device.

Locking down Android is a BIG no no. If Android gets locked down to the degree that the average Joe can't unlock their device for complete control, then the platform will die as iOS is dying right now(sorry Linus, but it is happening). As a consumer, I want to have the ability to have full control over the device I PAID for. I wouldn't mind having a closed down Android phone IF the phone was free and I am not talking about some low end Android device, I mean they will have to give me a HTC DNA or a Samsung Galaxy S4 for me to comply with this type of decision.

I don't mind not having a phone if this is the kind of crap I'll have to deal with on a daily basis. I have already switched from being a iPhone user for three years, I will never go back to that kind of closed system and I will not accept this kind of decision that Samsung and "other hardware manufacturers" want to bring up just because people are being stupid with their device.

[ExDreamer]

@linustech From i heard in the news, KNOX system basically divided into 2 environment into 1 phone. Basically you will have 2 profile, personal and work profile. You can root the phone in the personal profile but it wont affect anything on work profile. Meaning,even if you rooted your phone,malicious apps cannot affect or login in to your work profile and vice versa . Your employer also cannot access your personal profile.

You can rooted or changing ROM constantly without worries it can affect your work profile. That is because this profile work on different sandbox. This also mean that your personal profile can stay rooted but your work profile is not rooted.

[Salmiakbal]

"I asked about it and the answer was basically "Yes, we are going to be working on our devices to make them "much more difficult to root"""

Stopped reading there :D

They firstly need to address the reason people even want to root their phones before making them unable to root.

People root their phones because manufacturers are shitty. They bloat the phones up to the brim with useless apps, they add a shitty UI, disable SU functionality etc, they give sloppy updates etc..

If I buy a 600€ phone it better be goddamn customizable, functional and receive good updates for at least the following three years.

I can't quote on my phone, but I'm talking about your latest comment Linus :p

Obviously that statement is full of FUD. I have never ever had any security issues or "virusses" on Android. Actually I would trust a rooted phone more than a stock one. With a rooted phone I have full control over which app gets access to which functionality, something a stock phone will figure out on its own.

IMHO Android's biggest problem is bad updates, shitty manufacturer UI and inconsistency between those different UI's. Security isn't nearly as big of a problem as they make it out to be.

[Fonil]

Eh this is one of those notions where, Yes, Samsung is probably right about a majority of security mishaps more often than not stemming from rooted phones.

Likely scenario? Rooting in its current state is no more than a simple follow the youtube video, lots of apps require rooted phones, sketchy software is abundant on the play store,

People need to treat their phones like they treat their laptop/desktop and only install software under good judgement.

Advice? Be suspect of all software.

-SGIII Unlocked/Rooted, Undervolted, Current ROM = The Executioner

[Xenhat]

One of Samsung's comments during my conversation with them is that "most" of the viruses that affect Android are targeting or starting with rooted phones. Not sure how true that is, and I should disclaim this by saying the guys I was meeting with were going off of their powerpoint deck and they are not software engineers, but it seems like that's the internal conversation being had over there...

Reminds me of this: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/virus_venn_diagram.png. just swap virus with "rooting".

[Xenhat]

"I asked about it and the answer was basically "Yes, we are going to be working on our devices to make them "much more difficult to root"""

Stopped reading there :D

They firstly need to address the reason people even want to root their phones before making them unable to root.

People root their phones because manufacturers are shitty. They bloat the phones up to the brim with useless apps, they add a shitty UI, disable SU functionality etc, they give sloppy updates etc..

If I buy a 600€ phone it better be goddamn customizable, functional and receive good updates for at least the following three years.

I can't quote on my phone, but I'm talking about your latest comment Linus :p

Obviously that statement is full of FUD. I have never ever had any security issues or "virusses" on Android. Actually I would trust a rooted phone more than a stock one. With a rooted phone I have full control over which app gets access to which functionality, something a stock phone will figure out on its own.

IMHO Android's biggest problem is bad updates, shitty manufacturer UI and inconsistency between those different UI's. Security isn't nearly as big of a problem as they make it out to be.

True enough :). btw, "viruses" ;-)

[altereDad]

For Security: When it comes to BYOD I can see where this may be more appropriate as a company I would not want someone to have a phone with potential problems. Also, as a carrier of the coverage I can see how this may be something integral for their backbone for service is in a less compromised state. Data is now secured, to some degree that is.

For customizability: This allows for the most freedoms. It gives the availability for growth in an open-source architecture. It allows for security to still be there but to the users extent.

As KNOX indicated, there's a sandbox approach to all of this. This amounts to a potentially secured core, with capabilities to still customized without affecting primary functions. I do like this option, but to force it is not the way. In all honesty, it will change how choice is made, and if this is going to become adopted, there'll be plenty of companies that will create an open source option that will compete and perhaps overtake that market.

I love Android for what it is currently. I take my own risk rooting it and developing under it. That's my inner geek.

[Salmiakbal]

"I asked about it and the answer was basically "Yes, we are going to be working on our devices to make them "much more difficult to root"""

Stopped reading there :D

They firstly need to address the reason people even want to root their phones before making them unable to root.

People root their phones because manufacturers are shitty. They bloat the phones up to the brim with useless apps, they add a shitty UI, disable SU functionality etc, they give sloppy updates etc..

If I buy a 600€ phone it better be goddamn customizable, functional and receive good updates for at least the following three years.

I can't quote on my phone, but I'm talking about your latest comment Linus :p

Obviously that statement is full of FUD. I have never ever had any security issues or "virusses" on Android. Actually I would trust a rooted phone more than a stock one. With a rooted phone I have full control over which app gets access to which functionality, something a stock phone will figure out on its own.

IMHO Android's biggest problem is bad updates, shitty manufacturer UI and inconsistency between those different UI's. Security isn't nearly as big of a problem as they make it out to be.

hue

[chessin]

Samsung can produce 2 phones.

One for business that you can't easily root and make people feel more secure about their data on the device.

another one for casual use just like how it is today.

[Churminess]

Making devices harder to root is stupid. As far as I know, no manufacturer offers support for rooted phones so it's not Sammy's problem if you root or not. Let the power users do what they like to their phone, if you don't like it don't offer them support.

[JackyLee]

One of Samsung's comments during my conversation with them is that "most" of the viruses that affect Android are targeting or starting with rooted phones. Not sure how true that is, and I should disclaim this by saying the guys I was meeting with were going off of their powerpoint deck and they are not software engineers, but it seems like that's the internal conversation being had over there...

Most of the viruses that affect Android are targeting or starting with rooted phone because most of the android users have rooted their phone?

[IdeaStormer]

If Samsung produces a non-rootable phone (yea like that is even an possible :rolleyes: ) guess what? No one will buy it, and they will lose market share to whom? Their nemesis Apple. So if they want to bite their own head off then lets see it :D

Enter yet another phone manufacture stage left!

[EYCEthebest003]

I don't know whether or not viruses are a legitimate problem with android. I've always used lookout antivirus on my phones just in case something were to happen and I have never once had an issue with viruses. I've gone through my share of phones and a huge number a ROMs as well. The only time my phone acts up is because of a poorly made ROM which are promptly replaced.

Speaking of, don't use the Swagger mod ROM for the galaxy S3. It was buggy as hell and it destroyed battery life. The liquid smooth or Cyanogen are much more stable. I'm still on the hunt for that perfect rom though... but I haven't been looking nearly enough, I've just been too busy (lazy).

[prodigydoo]

Customisability all the way. But it really depends on the user.

I have nothing to keep secure so I don't even use a passcode lock.

I can see for some users security being a huge thing.

[Nicktrance]

Definitely customizability for me, I use common sense for security :D. I like it the way it is though, everyone gets security and they can root if they care more for customizability and know the risks.

[AMICLG]

Samsung is taking a step in the right direction for corporate but they're killing us Hackers, Makers, Power Users. They need to make a phones without DRM for hackers. So do I like it? Nope not at all, I want my Cyanogenmod but do they really think they'll stop hackers just look at Apple EVERY Iphone has been hacked

[Flynn]

I'd rather have the customization, I can secure it on my own.  I never rely on stock security for anything anyway.  Let the people that want an all in one solution that they don't have to think about have the iPhone, let us powerusers have the droids.

[Whiskers]

It seems like a lazy approach to me.

 

Ignoring my own personal concerns (and the fact that without root permissions, my Galaxy S II would be nothing more than a useless plastic brick) - there are potential security benefits that root permissions can provide. Applications like Avast! can use those permissions to secure your device significantly more than they are by default, and offer some excellent features such as remote locking and even the ability to make the device emit a siren sound to alert people it has been stolen.

 

Customisation is customisation. If there are security issues related to it, they ought to be fixed - there are security risks related to our ability to sign in to websites. Should we simply abolish sign-ins from now on?

[zenodio]

I'm sure people will still find a way to root their devices, it'll just become a little more tricky until someone develope an installer that'll do it all in one click.

 

I've personally never rooted any of my devices, I tried rooting my LG Optimus 2X back in the days (becasue it absolutely horrible software support) but without luck, I have a Galaxy S3 now and it does everything I need it to do without rooting however I can definitely see customisation addicts' frustration when they hear these news.

 

I like customizing the UI of my phone as well but I limit myself to keyboards, themes and launchers I can find in the Google Play Store anyways;
I've always seen the customisation options  of Android to be the platforms strongest point, regardless if it involves rooting of your devices or not.

 

As Flynn mentioned above, relying on stock security isn't always the best option and personally I'd rather have the possibility of rooting my device rather than relying on a company such as Samsung to keep me safe (not that I don't trust Samsung because I think they definitely know what they're doing, but still, I prefer to have the freedom of choice)

[joelthezombie15]

like alot of others and that little mexican girl in the taco commercial said. why not have both?

 

have some security and some customization not one or the other that makes no sense.

[RaphYkun]

Personally I use a Blackberry, but if you're talking Android, I always find the biggest plus on their side over any other OS is its malleable nature. If you remove the customization from Android, you remove its largest selling point.

[bradscoolio]

I don't have any life threatening files on my device nor a credit card linked to my Google account, so it's not the end of the world if i get hacked. Any compromise to get touch-wiz off your phone is a compromise worth making ;)

[joelthezombie15]

I don't have any life threatening files on my device nor a credit card linked to my Google account, so it's not the end of the world if i get hacked. Any compromise to get touch-wiz off your phone is a compromise worth making ;)

you dont like touch-wiz?

[bradscoolio]

you dont like touch-wiz?

 

No, I don't like anything other than AOSP. My needs for a smart phone are simple, so bloatware and silly features annoy me.