[Dave Bourque]

Two things. 1) I think we're differing over what's possible on existing OSes and what I want, which are two very different things; 2) I think we're all discussing different use cases.

Actually there's a third thing. Sometimes I forget Wheaton's Law. My apologies if I've offended anyone.

So you want a mobile OS that can give you access to a password protected root? Still doesn't protect you from Google or any other big data mining company.

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[Tre Lawrence]

Jesus. There's only one reason to root a phone and that is to access the root of the OS and do things that would otherwise not be allowed without access to that root system. Once that root is opened it is accessible to anything that wishes to gain access to it, there is no way to turn it off and deny things that you normally wouldn't want to have access to that root. You basically open yourself up to hacking. Much like running Windows in administration mode, you have opened access to the system files to anything that wishes to access it. Only difference is you have the option to turn it back off. You can't do that with a mobile OS, at least not any of the ones available because they don't give you that option. So once your phone is rooted (open) you have made yourself a target.

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I monitor what is requesting root access, which SuperSU does (along with other vetted root utilities).

I'm willing to be corrected if I'm wrong.

SuperSU also allows for one-click unrooting.

[Tre Lawrence]

So you want a mobile OS that can give you access to a password protected root? Still doesn't protect you from Google or any other big data mining company.

You can divest yourself from Google on a rooted device with specific root tools.

[kgbbz10]

Two things. 1) I think we're differing over what's possible on existing OSes and what I want, which are two very different things; 2) I think we're all discussing different use cases.

Actually there's a third thing. Sometimes I forget Wheaton's Law. My apologies if I've offended anyone.

You want to run the phones OS just like you can on a computers OS. Unfortunately there is no mobile OS that allows this. It's either rooted or it's not, there's no means of switching back and forth. I would like this option as well, but I highly doubt we'll see it happen anytime soon or ever.
Google and iPhone don't allow this because they don't want you to have control over your phone, like being able to remove Google apps or iTunes. BlackBerry doesn't allow it because they are all about security and allowing access to the root is very unsecure.
The fact that Android and Apple can be rooted makes them less secure than BlackBerry. Rooting also comes with the risk of bricking your phone, which is kind of a precaution they put in place to keep you from doing it.

I feel safe knowing my phones root access can not be accessed because I left it open for the world to exploit.
If they allowed us to access apps or whatever through a root option, like on Linux I'd be all for that. But then control freak companies aren't likely to give us this option.

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[Dave Bourque]

You can divest yourself from Google on a rooted device with specific root tools.

On the hardware side yea. Network side would require banning IPs coming from Google.

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[kgbbz10]

I monitor what is requesting root access, which SuperSU does (along with other vetted root utilities).

I'm willing to be corrected if I'm wrong.

SuperSU also allows for one-click unrooting.

All you did was allow a third party app to have absolute control over your OS. And you feel secure in this because they are vetted? Vetted by who and how?

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[Tre Lawrence]

All you did was allow a third party app to have absolute control over your OS. And you feel secure in this because they are vetted? Vetted by who and how?

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I know enough to get by, plus my job gives me an opportunity to work with folks who specialize in mobile security.

I also get "pure" devices directly from OEMs to mess around with and such.

I feel fairly comfortable using a rooted device, and consider the ability to do so an anchor feature.

It's not for everyone, obviously. I do believe everyone needs to find their own security comfort level, so to speak.

[Got2GetAway]

I don't want BlackBerry to fail at all but I do agree with your point in the statement you make. I've thought about taking a look at the Ubuntu phone myself.

Via my amazing PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2339

[kgbbz10]

I know enough to get by, plus my job gives me an opportunity to work with folks who specialize in mobile security.

I also get "pure" devices directly from OEMs to mess around with and such.

I feel fairly comfortable using a rooted device, and consider the ability to do so an anchor feature.

It's not for everyone, obviously. I do believe everyone needs to find their own security comfort level, so to speak.

I still don't understand how you came about trusting a third party app to control your phone. And ppl specializing in mobile security running Android is an oxymoron lmao.

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[Tre Lawrence]

I still don't understand how you came about trusting a third party app to control your phone. And ppl specializing in mobile security running Android is an oxymoron lmao.

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I have a good amount of faith in the mobile tech I use. Without boasting, if I had to guess, I'm more circumspect than most, because I have to be.

But, suffice to say, I don't fear rooted devices. Not much can happen that I don't want to, and I'm fairly insulated from tracking. Not completely (I'm cynical like that), but I figure I can control the output.

Now, I am not as familiar with iOS systems.

[anon(8063781)]

So you want a mobile OS that can give you access to a password protected root? Still doesn't protect you from Google or any other big data mining company.

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I have a question for you Dave.

Presuming I was to find an open source distribution that met my requirements (unlikely, but let's go with it), have my own email server and use DuckDuckGo for search, and don't touch data-mining company apps like Chrome/Chromium, I still have to worry about blocking IPs?

[anon(8063781)]

I don't want BlackBerry to fail at all but I do agree with your point in the statement you make. I've thought about taking a look at the Ubuntu phone myself.

Via my amazing PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2339

I don't want BlackBerry to fail either. A lot of people's jobs depend on the company, and I think it's the lesser of all the evils available to me at this point.

[Dave Bourque]

I have a question for you Dave.

Presuming I was to find an open source distribution that met my requirements (unlikely, but let's go with it), have my own email server and use DuckDuckGo for search, and don't touch data-mining company apps like Chrome/Chromium, I still have to worry about blocking IPs?

Since Google ads is listening to many websites it's likely that you do. The browser addon called disconnect gives you a visual map on who is watching on a particular website.

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[dbmalloy]

Think the OP needs to be a bit clearer on what type of root is required or even if it is a root or simple elevated admin privileges... the danger of rooting is you are circumventing the security of the device.,,.. when you do this you open it to hacks... this is why jailbreaking on IOS is dangerous... you actually take a locked down system and open it up to more avenues of attack.... so really unsure what the OP issue is and what is requested....\

One thing I take great issue with is Android is bad because of its Unix implimentation... gee lets see Android has sold hundreds of millions of devices,,, and BB has sold how many,.., Might be nice to say... "in my opinion" when making such blanket statements....

[kgbbz10]

Think the OP needs to be a bit clearer on what type of root is required or even if it is a root or simple elevated admin privileges... the danger of rooting is you are circumventing the security of the device.,,.. when you do this you open it to hacks... this is why jailbreaking on IOS is dangerous... you actually take a locked down system and open it up to more avenues of attack.... so really unsure what the OP issue is and what is requested....\

One thing I take great issue with is Android is bad because of its Unix implimentation... gee lets see Android has sold hundreds of millions of devices,,, and BB has sold how many,.., Might be nice to say... "in my opinion" when making such blanket statements....

The majority is always wrong.

Windows has sold billions of copies of its OS, doesn't make it a secure, or even good OS. It got to be the standard because MS was smart with its business practice by putting it on every PC that got sold. Google followed suit and that's the only reason Android became so popular. Iphone is too expensive for most ppl, especially when it first came out, same as Macs.
If I could get a Samsung phone with BB10 as the standard then BB10 would be popular. But BlackBerry continued their business model and made the OS exclusive to their hardware.

Why Android is a crappy OS is pretty well documented, Google controled, vulnerable due to it being unsecure at its core, unfriendly UI, closing an app but then having to go in another menu to close the 50 apps still running, being forced to use Google specific apps like inbox to check my mail because the website on the browser said NO! I won't let you. So many reasons Android SUCKS!

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[kgbbz10]

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[anon(8063781)]

Think the OP needs to be a bit clearer on what type of root is required or even if it is a root or simple elevated admin privileges... the danger of rooting is you are circumventing the security of the device.,,.. when you do this you open it to hacks... this is why jailbreaking on IOS is dangerous... you actually take a locked down system and open it up to more avenues of attack.... so really unsure what the OP issue is and what is requested....\

One thing I take great issue with is Android is bad because of its Unix implimentation... gee lets see Android has sold hundreds of millions of devices,,, and BB has sold how many,.., Might be nice to say... "in my opinion" when making such blanket statements....

I think my understanding of both rooting and root accounts is sound, if this link has it all correct: How to Root Your Android Device & Why You Might Want To

I disagree with the premise that sales figures prove quality, but do agree with the "In my opinion" point. It was a rant. It's all my opinion!

[remyrems213]

Either good or bad are the ideas stated here above, it deserves to be largely known... you're right to spread the word.. thanks for feeding me with this knowledge

Remy

Posted via CB10

[Dave Bourque]

One thing is for sure. Nothing is 100% secure when connected to the Internet since it's the most common access point to hacking a device.

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[Tre Lawrence]

One thing is for sure. Nothing is 100% secure when connected to the Internet since it's the most common access point to hacking a device.

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Wholeheartedly agree.

[Marcin Dabrowsky]

When using root on android superuser would ask first any time an app requested access to root. But I agree android wasn't built around security it is inherently insecure.

Posted via Silver Passport.

[Tre Lawrence]

When using root on android superuser would ask first any time an app requested access to root. But I agree android wasn't built around security it is inherently insecure.

Posted via Silver Passport.

Secure enough for BlackBerry to adopt.

I guess it's a "secure enough" works we live in.

[BCITMike]

Wow. Do you understand the difference between a password protected root account and regular user accounts without elevated privileges?

In my original post, I said that I didn't think android implemented the root account properly. Someone commented that they thought it was possible. I don't know if it is or isn't. But that's what I want, which means I do not want an unsecured phone. In fact, I want the reverse. I want a phone on which I am the only person who knows the root account password, and I am the only person who can assume elevated privileges and make important changes. Every commercial mobile OS that I've seen wants you to hand that power over to the vendor, carrier, some corporate IT guy, etc. I don't think I should have to do that.

I also want to be able to log out of root, log into a regular user account for my day-to-day use, and know that no significant system changes can be made by any app or outside party.

I don't think this is possible with most if not all current commercial phone OSes. But it should be. A mobile phone is just a small computer with telephony added. It should be capable of anything a desktop is capable of....

This is an unreasonable request for a consumer based phone marketed to the masses. You're in the < 1% category.

When they bring out a phone with no support and its YMMV, then that will be the rootable phone. No mobile company wants to train support reps to deal with issues caused by users with root access. It's just a drain on resources and no uptick in significant sales.

Money is made when phone is sold. Money is lost when human support is needed.

[Soulstream]

I never understood the "evil" of rooting devices. People have had root access to their PCs for decades now. And having root access protected by a secure password (as is done in Linux) hasn't made Linux any less secure. I wouldn't like to be locked out of root access on my linux machine because it safer for me.

[akavbb]

I never understood the "evil" of rooting devices. People have had root access to their PCs for decades now. And having root access protected by a secure password (as is done in Linux) hasn't made Linux any less secure. I wouldn't like to be locked out of root access on my linux machine because it safer for me.

Rooting of cellphones is good. Just let us know how it goes. (if you ever find out).

Posted via my STL100-2 | Waiting for the mighty Squircle to return