Privacy

34307 readers

1404 users here now

A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.

Some Rules

Posting a link to a website containing tracking isn't great, if contents of the website are behind a paywall maybe copy them into the post
Don't promote proprietary software
Try to keep things on topic
If you have a question, please try searching for previous discussions, maybe it has already been answered
Reposts are fine, but should have at least a couple of weeks in between so that the post can reach a new audience
Be nice :)

Related communities

much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

What is the scariest permission that an app can have? (iOS and Android) (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by rosa666parks@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

11 comments fedilink hide all child comments

To me, it’s gotta be the microphone

all 14 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] owenfromcanada@lemmy.world 53 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Root

[–] GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml 15 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This. Root allows an app to get any permissions and probably even disable all evidence of having them.

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today -4 points 4 months ago

It actually allows the app to run as the OS itself.

[–] mintdaniel42@futurology.today 22 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Clearly the only right answer is Internet. Who cares about camera, mic or location when the app cannot send the data anywhere anyways?

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 16 points 4 months ago

Inter-app communication can go around it. And most OSes don't block localhost connections either.

[–] muntedcrocodile@lemm.ee 16 points 4 months ago

Internet

[–] Charger8232@lemmy.ml 16 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

This depends on what you're trying to defend against. In my opinion (on GrapheneOS):

"Accessibility" permission (i.e. full control of the device)
"Network" permission
"Modify system settings" permission
"Install unknown apps" permission
Any permission that allows apps to communicate with one another (such as a reduced sandbox, file permission, or app communication scopes)

Those are the only permissions that I can think of off the top of my head that could potentially allow an app to phone home. Turning off Wi-Fi for the device does little if the app also has the "Wi-Fi control" permission.

[–] dwindling7373@feddit.it 15 points 4 months ago

Wifi in apps that have no reasonable need for it, because it's basically location.

[–] 0x0@programming.dev 3 points 4 months ago

Location.