hi folks,
Given that Xiaomi is notorious for sending data back to China, will installing /e give us 100% privacy and stop their nasty spying?
Can the hardware firmware be setup to automatically send data back to China no matter what ROM software is installed?
Thanks for your thoughts,
Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online services
If the reference is to code other than in the OS then no /e/ does not check for such code. You can check the response here
Okay, thank you for that reference and information.
The response says:
"Q: How do you make sure your OS is installed without any “unwanted” code loading before yours?
A: We do not make sure about this, for a simple reason: /e/’s primary focus is deGoogling and
improving Privacy related to the industrial collection of personal data by the big techs."
To make the point absolutely clear, /e/OS is not intended for users with strong security needs, like people who can be targeted by organizations like governments, intelligence agencies, criminal organizations etc.
The more common “real life” security issue for /e/ users is the case where the device is stolen or lost.
That is why we encourage users to use the encryption mode.
. . .
So, does anyone know if Xiaomi loads code before /e gets control of the phone?
100% privacy in a digital world - is a pipe dream.
Sending data to China requires that connections exist at the IP address level. Such IP connections with data flow can be logged and blocked with a firewall, for example.
If you’re 100% convinced that the mi-firmware has spy code implemented, then use a different hardware.
Hey, thanks for the tip. I’m still learning about how to create as private as possible device. So, yes, agreed, 100% is not realistic.
Is there a firewall app that you recommend? Then I can get a better idea if the mi firmware is doing anything when it’s not supposed to.
Edit: I will give reThinkDNS a try for a firewall.
Given the general level of concern of the “typical” /e/OS user about indiscriminate data collection, Suzie’s post directly above should be spun off into a sticky for forum users to easily find.
Just saying.
Wow! Thanks for the recommendation. I will install and use NetGuard.
@Manoj This information about NetGuard could be added to the /e/ documentation, perhaps as the starting point for a HOW TO article
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I’m afraid you’re confusing moderators erasing comments with regular users flagging posts as troll/spam/whatever irrelevant rant, and then making them become invisible to others (such as the one you ve just posted)
To stay on topic, i’m not sure Xiaomi is worse or more suspicious than any other manufacturer on that matter, or compared to samsung apple google on the software / OS side as well
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I’m pretty sure that connection is started before os runs.
Modem includes a dedicated small os and can connect and get ip by their own.
It can be consulted remotely and at least china could know your ip, location and modem events every time your phone is on.
@SuzieQ Is there any way for NetGuard to detect and stop this possible Internet connection? What NetGuard rule do we have to setup?
netguard runs after the eos
the modem is an autonomous system,
the only phones made to physically disconnect modem are the “pinephone” and the “librem5”
Thanks for this info. Fun fact: I had been looking at the librem5 as a possible alternative when I came across /e/OS.