Would I be able to install cyanogen mod or other google-free android alternatives on it?
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Would I be able to install cyanogen mod or other google-free android alternatives on it?
No, but you can flash a custom build of BB10 when the Priv 2, 3 and 4 arrive!
Posted via CB10
Would defeat the whole purpose of being secure...
Posted via CB10
we dont know, no one has it in hands to try
Not likely due to the enhanced security measure put in place from BlackBerry. If your able too, then it would defeat the purpose of what they are trying to accomplish for security and a level privacy, no?
Cheers!
Posted via CB10 on my BlackBerry Passport SR 10.3.2.2514, OS 10.3.2.2789
Nobody knows yet, but I'm sure it'll eventually get rooted, BlackBerry has to contend with thousands of talented developers who like to break and fix things as a hobby, should be interesting.
Posted via CB10
That's true!!
Cheers!
Posted via CB10 on my BlackBerry Passport SR 10.3.2.2514, OS 10.3.2.2789
Don't bet on it.
I expect the bootloader will cryptographically checksum everything in the system partition exactly as BB10 does now, and since you won't have BlackBerry's signing key you won't be able to put the required checksum in the /bin/su program.
Preventing anything SUID from running anywhere else is pretty easy; you mount those nosuid and that's the end of that.
The only way in will be to pervert the kernel via some sort of privilege escalation; it's always possible something is missed although they're allegedly using grSecurity's kernel, which is pretty good. But, if you succeed it will be a short party as the next time the phone boots you'll get locked out or the bootcode will remove the unsigned executable and anything else you managed to deposit in there in the meantime.
I can force the load of an unsigned executable on a BB10 device but the phone won't boot with it there -- this is the reason why. Your only options to get around that would be (1) for BlackBerry to release an unlocked bootloader (very unlikely), (2) to steal their signing key (good luck) or (3) to manage to obtain write access to the bootloader area of the NVRAM and write an unlocked bootloader there that works (possible if you can READ the existing bootloader, as you could disassemble it, but gaining access to that part of NVRAM is not going to be easy.)
There are existing BlackBerry 10 device boards out "in the wild" that do not have a bootloader in them; just a test routine to verify that the hardware itself works. If you acquire one of those you may as well have a brick; I'm aware of nobody that has managed to put legitimate bootcode on these (along with a PIN; the way you know this is what's up in addition to the funky boot screen is that there's no PIN in the device.) I suspect the Priv will be architected the same way and if so you can pretty-much forget it.