I'm currently evaluating some mobile device management solutions and had a few questions for the wise xda forum goers. I realize that this is primarily a device hacking/development community, but I assumed that surely some people here have some experience with this as an end-user or otherwise.
First and foremost, what recommendations can you guys provide for solutions? I've evaluated six or seven vendors, but I'm leaning toward AirWatch, Good Technologies and BoxTone. I'd really like something with a perpetual license scheme due to the way my organization's finances work. I also want something that won't frustrate my end users, has broad device support and provides security and app distribution functionality.
Does anybody have any test device recommendations? I'm thinking of using an iPod Touch and Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0. I'd imagine you developers could chime in on this. I don't need to test any mobile network functionality with these, just different interactions with the OS and apps. I'm pretty set on the iPod Touch, but I also need an Android test device similar to the iPod Touch and preferably under $300.
I'd appreciate any thoughts on this. I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm looking for, but I was hoping to get some real world insight aside from the vendor references.
P.S.: It's scary what MDM can do. For anybody considering this at their organization, administrative buy-in is key, and make sure you use this power responsibly.
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Mobile Device Management
The mobile phones which were only a calling device earlier have now become a smart business tool. As mobility is increasing it brings with it ample benefits, however at the same time it creates number of new challenges in terms of usage and the data stored on them.
I'd like to start this thread with the main question I have, if we got all up in arms about CIQ mining our data, tracking our browsing, and all the other oh-so-awesome things it did, why do we not get upset with the OS on the device when it does those exact same things for a profit?
I'm not talking about monitoring everything we do for some vague diagnostic reason, I'm talking about them monitoring everything we do and then using that info to serve targeted ads. We don't like it when our ISP does that in conjunction with an ad company, so why is our smartphone different?
I moved off android when they combined their EULAs into one. And I now use a Nokia N9...it's not the best solution, but it works...mostly.
I'm asking this question here because I want an answer, I'm curious as to why we (consumers) are ok with giving away our privacy to a phone OS when we weren't OK with it from an app? What is the difference?
While winmo 6.1 may be a bloated ass and overall pos of an os, at least it didn't track my every fricken move and report it back to MS.
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hobbiteer said:
I'd like to start this thread with the main question I have, if we got all up in arms about CIQ mining our data, tracking our browsing, and all the other oh-so-awesome things it did, why do we not get upset with the OS on the device when it does those exact same things for a profit?
I'm not talking about monitoring everything we do for some vague diagnostic reason, I'm talking about them monitoring everything we do and then using that info to serve targeted ads. We don't like it when our ISP does that in conjunction with an ad company, so why is our smartphone different?
I moved off android when they combined their EULAs into one. And I now use a Nokia N9...it's not the best solution, but it works...mostly.
I'm asking this question here because I want an answer, I'm curious as to why we (consumers) are ok with giving away our privacy to a phone OS when we weren't OK with it from an app? What is the difference?
While winmo 6.1 may be a bloated ass and overall pos of an os, at least it didn't track my every fricken move and report it back to MS.
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Any information the OS uses they are open an honest about it in their user agreements. CIQ and the Carriers lied about the data, lied about what they do with it, and continue to lie about it still being there. A company that lies about that information is much more likely to use it maliciously or sell it to someone who will use it maliciously.
hobbiteer said:
We don't like it when our ISP does that in conjunction with an ad company, so why is our smartphone different?
I'm asking this question here because I want an answer, I'm curious as to why we (consumers) are ok with giving away our privacy to a phone OS when we weren't OK with it from an app? What is the difference?.
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Click to collapse
Not everyone is OK with it, that is why there are ways around using android without that data mining software.
Regardless though of that little green android working its magic, you don't think every single phone has some sort of 'security' feature? Even older non-smart-phones?
I guess the difference is that one company does it openly and tells you where the data gathered is going, and others just do it discretely.
mojo22 said:
Not everyone is OK with it, that is why there are ways around using android without that data mining software.
Regardless though of that little green android working its magic, you don't think every single phone has some sort of 'security' feature? Even older non-smart-phones?
I guess the difference is that one company does it openly and tells you where the data gathered is going, and others just do it discretely.
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What ways are viable without turning the device into a larger dumbphone? Being able to use the chat, maps, and browser are what makes it better than a feature phone. That and the additional applications available, but those are a minor point.
But that second part is exactly what I'm asking about. Doesn't it bother anyone that they are data mining your info and selling it?
I ran into this article today and I wanted to see what the people on XDA think about it. This company is working on a Android phone that it's primary purpose is to protect the users privacy.
Here's the link: http://mobile.theverge.com/2014/1/1...nn-silent-circle-geeksphone-blackphone-launch
Read the article, watch the video and let me know what you think.
Sent from GNote 3 rooted with kingo.
Saw news about this and came here to seek out does any1 have opinions about it.
i wonder, does the safety come from hardware or is it the OS what makes this so safe.. if it is the OS, i hope some1 smart enough makes custom rom for this.
I really don't see how this phone is gonna change anything. Apps and websites have keyloggers, You still need a carrier to get service from and they have control of all your traffic. What about radio frequencies that can be intercepted, IP addresses, GPS chips sending signals to satellites, baseband and firmware are connected thru the cell towers of the carrier. I'm starting to think this phone is a scam.
They said nothing about how they're dealing with all this. They are probably using the whole NSA scandal momentum to fool people into believing they are safe if they buy this phone.
Sent from GNote 3 rooted with kingo.
I saw an article about this venture also. This is a good thing. If he gets press about this phone, maybe other venders will take notice and start building in privacy features as well. :good:
I don't see the need for new hardware here. If they really want to secure something, they could create a mod for Android, that could be installed on a variety of devices for example.
Besides, if they encrypt telephony, messages and stuff, they will need to be decrypted again - but the question is where and how? I bet they won't have any hardware encryption module and even if they do, it will make communication with other phones impossible. Software encryption means other phones will need to install some additional software to communicate with the Blackphone and it might be a bit inconvenient.
orangek3nny said:
I don't see the need for new hardware here. If they really want to secure something, they could create a mod for Android, that could be installed on a variety of devices for example.
Besides, if they encrypt telephony, messages and stuff, they will need to be decrypted again - but the question is where and how? I bet they won't have any hardware encryption module and even if they do, it will make communication with other phones impossible. Software encryption means other phones will need to install some additional software to communicate with the Blackphone and it might be a bit inconvenient.
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That's a good point. how a non blackphone device is gonna decipher the encryption? how is it going to get the key? How can a non blackphone device even a establish the same "secure" connection?
Sent from GNote 3 rooted with kingo.
Andronote3 said:
That's a good point. how a non blackphone device is gonna decipher the encryption? how is it going to get the key? How can a non blackphone device even a establish the same "secure" connection?
Sent from GNote 3 rooted with kingo.
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I think you are missing the point. As you or I may not NEED this kind of security, I'm sure you can think of someone who does.
Obviously, there would be two levels of privacy/security... Connections between 2 black phones and everything else. So who utilize a black phone? How about corporations and governments? Law offices, professional sports teams, or doctors and hospitals.
Now, even though I do not NEED this, if it was affordable, I would heavily consider it.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
JamieFL said:
I think you are missing the point. As you or I may not NEED this kind of security, I'm sure you can think of someone who does.
Obviously, there would be two levels of privacy/security... Connections between 2 black phones and everything else. So who utilize a black phone? How about corporations and governments? Law offices, professional sports teams, or doctors and hospitals.
Now, even though I do not NEED this, if it was affordable, I would heavily consider it.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
I understand what you are saying and I completely agree with you. It looks like a device that corporations and the government would "benefit" more than regular users. Either way, It won't fix 90% of all the problems people face when it comes to staying safe against privacy/security breaches. I truly believe that they are using the whole NSA scandal momentum to make people believe that they are safe/secured if they buy this phone.
P.S: Nice quotes.
I saw this phone.
It isn't an answer to every privacy issue.
What its an answer to is, not having to agree to an android apps permissions to gain access to the app.
These apps don't make their money off the app sales, they make their money sending information to retailers.
Retailers own the world.
The question I still pose is... What's wrong with retailers knowing where you are?
There's nothing you can do about the government. They won't let us make things that are government proof, nor would they (The retailers ) want to.
But, what's wrong with these apps fine tuning my specific desires to my Location?
You can't stop people from stealing your identity. The hacker/firewall paradox is, for every walk you build, they will build a taller ladder.
The only thing really close to full privacy in data sending is, that light source that sends data. It's a light bulb, and the light has data in it, a sensor receives it. It can be held within the walls of a room. But that only effects a closed circuit type system. If that light source is connected to the Internet, then game over.
Why do you think record companies and movie companies keep their computer systems offline and deal in only physical media? A hacker will get into anything I'd you give him the tools and time.
This phone gives a sense of security that is non existant
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SaintCity86 said:
I saw this phone.
It isn't an answer to every privacy issue.
What its an answer to is, not having to agree to an android apps permissions to gain access to the app.
These apps don't make their money off the app sales, they make their money sending information to retailers.
Retailers own the world.
The question I still pose is... What's wrong with retailers knowing where you are?
There's nothing you can do about the government. They won't let us make things that are government proof, nor would they (The retailers ) want to.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2658527
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Click to collapse
nailed it
The problem is Android itself. Thanks to Xprivacy, it's a lot easier to control what leaks out of your device. Personally I'd rather see more encryption mechanisms than this. FFOS seems to be on the right path
There Is nothing you can do to stop identity theft.
Nothing.
And there is nothing you can do to do the government from tapping your lines.
You want a safer form of communicating, send Voice recordings over text.
That's an entirety separate warrant, and harder to get. Other than that. It's hopeless
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d1rX said:
FFOS seems to be on the right path
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I think you mean FOSS[1] = Free and Open Source Software. Anyway, I fully agree, in fact, that is the ONLY way. Closed source encryption programs can't be 100% trusted by definition. There might be security flaws, intentional or not.
Anyway. the NSA has backdoors to every operating system[2], so if you're really a target, they get you. Also, there are more than enough security holes in the layers under the operating system[3].
I think what these phones are supposed to do is bring end-to-end encryption for e.g. industry users so they don't get spied on. The NSA and the US government can get their hands on encryption keys for servers like in Lavabits case[4]. But this is the transport encryption. The data is, if not otherwise secured, available in plain text on the servers of providers. This also means, the officials can decrypt ANY data that comes in, not just the one of actual targets.
Now, end-to-end encryption makes sure even the provider can't see your data in plain text because you encrypt and decrypt it on your device. What Blackphone does is, it uses the apps from Silent Circle, a closed source encryption programm for VoIP and messages. Although the owner of that company is the well trusted cryptographer Phil Zimmerman, one can never be sure.
That's a good point. how a non blackphone device is gonna decipher the encryption? how is it going to get the key? How can a non blackphone device even a establish the same "secure" connection?
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Click to collapse
You can install and use Silent Circle on any(ok, a lot of) phone(s). Just make sure you don't have additional malicious software installed. Any yes, it costs $100/year or so. And you get a subscription for SpiderOak, sort of a Dropbox but they encrypt the data before uploading. Any you get a better overview over what app uses what permissions. A few extra tweaks basically.
Alternative: Android Phone with CyanogenMod/Replica. TextSecure for messages, RedPhone for VoiP and owncloud for files. Way cheaper too, and open source, also made by well respected cryptographers like Moxie Marlinspike[5]
[1] de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free/Libre_Open_Source_Software
[2] zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-08/nsa-has-full-back-door-access-iphone-blackberry-and-android-smartphones-documents-re"]backdoors to every operating system
[3] forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2530044
[4] techdirt.com/articles/20131002/17443624734/lavabit-tried-giving-feds-its-ssl-key-11-pages-4-point-type-feds-complained-that-it-was-illegible.shtml
[5] thoughtcrime.org
if they want to spy on us they can ... that's it...
More info?
Hi all - looking for more info on this phone - just joined XDADev to post this.
Specifically, what brands might this hardware be found under? Know it's a Tinno S8515 but have yet to find out anything about that; seems like Tinno generally makes phones for other companies?
Any help is appreciated!
Best,
-Cx
:cyclops::cyclops::cyclops:
The greatest challenge to securing a phone is not the OS or the apps running on it, it's the baseband. We have known for well over 30+ yeasr how to harden a *nix based system (like AOS), but we haven't even started to question WTF is going on in the closed source 10-100 MB baseband RTOS, which have fulll access to your entire FS and the most important phone operations, like SIM, RF, EMMC etc etc.
Only forcing the corrupt modem OEM's to release the sources of the Baseband firmware could improve the situation. This will never happen, unless there is another baseband Snowden out there somewhere...
We already know that the BP/CP FW is extremely insecure, and relies almost solely on obscurity as their main mechanism of protection. If this was not the case, the iPhone unlock developers would have been fekked long time ago, and the rest of us would sit around with SIM/network locked bricks filling up our bookshelves.
Unfortunately the greatest majority of the millions of XDA members are completely carefree about this issue and are only happy as long as they can "tweak some ROMs". So this will never be the place to find/see any serious baseband reversing, no matter how important it would be from a security standpoint.
So to summarize, your Qualcomm baseband will continue to send your exact GPS coordinates to the network provider at will, without you ever knowing, and without anyone (here) caring. So goes for the FM transmitter that is part of the baseband FW in both Intel and Qualcomm based phones. Do you have control over that? Never.
Only a serious long term spectrum analysis study could reveal whats going on there, where and when you're not (able) to watch.
This phone is the biggest scam lol.
hyshys said:
Saw news about this and came here to seek out does any1 have opinions about it.
i wonder, does the safety come from hardware or is it the OS what makes this so safe.. if it is the OS, i hope some1 smart enough makes custom rom for this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was wondering this too. If it is only the rom (just like the $1300 pwnphone). It should be port-able
iliass01 said:
I was wondering this too. If it is only the rom (just like the $1300 pwnphone). It should be port-able
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Click to collapse
Blackphone. - no hardware security, just software, and most of it is NOT open source. Some here (@SaintCity86 , @repat) has their points, and they are mostly right! If you want some security (and I said some!!!), then get rid of most of your apps (permission check and some common sense), all Google apps (yes, all of them), install a paid (not free) and high quality VPN software, don't use the phone feature (only data sim-prepaid), get an internet phone number (with no personal details), use end to end encrypted apps to make calls and send and receive texts, install Xposed and Xprivacy (or any other variant) and limit even more the apps you have on your phone. Don't use it as your only phone, but as a secure device and share your number and other infos with trusted people! In this case, maybe, you will be able to add some layer of security and actually be able to use it. And most important, don't give your phone in the hands of anyone! It is a bit paranoid, but it's the only way! But, don't be fooled! You can have some security, only if you stay under the radar, and don't gain some attention. If yes, then you have no luck! Personally, I have seen the Blackphone, and tested it for some time, and I am not really convinced it can be trusted.
Good luck!
Andronote3 said:
I really don't see how this phone is gonna change anything. Apps and websites have keyloggers, You still need a carrier to get service from and they have control of all your traffic. What about radio frequencies that can be intercepted, IP addresses, GPS chips sending signals to satellites, baseband and firmware are connected thru the cell towers of the carrier. I'm starting to think this phone is a scam.
They said nothing about how they're dealing with all this. They are probably using the whole NSA scandal momentum to fool people into believing they are safe if they buy this phone.
Sent from GNote 3 rooted with kingo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would just like to correct this common misconception, GPS is one way.
GPS receivers as found in your phones, or navigation systems, receives GPS signals only. Nothing gets sent to satellites in this process, the algorithm is purely one way.
Hi All,
Perhaps some devs could provide some insight into a project like this.
As we all know there isn't any very good solution for those seeking iMessage on their android devices. The best we have so far is an app that has an iMessage server middleman somewhere in China where all of our messages pass through with who knows who is reading.
I have an idea, as someone who uses an android and a Mac, I still have access to iMessage through my macbook.
Would it be theoretically possible to create an app that tunnels to your Mac's built in iMessage program and displays it on your android with an interface very similar to the iPhone? Obviously this solution will only work for those of us with Macs, but I'd much prefer something like this as opposed to what's available on google play (if it's still even there).
I can somewhat create this using a VPN server off my mac connecting it to my android but my mac needs constant internet connection (can solve this with personal hotspot beam off android device as long as you've got your Mac with you when you aren't near wifi), but overall this is tedious to navigate. There has to be a way to create this into a more simplified user friendly app.
I would be interested in working with/help with testing if any of you would like to undertake a project like this. Though I have limited code experience.
You will e hard pressed to find anyone to help with this project. Most that are skilled enough to do this don't use Mac and the last person that did got shut down by Apple.
zelendel said:
You will e hard pressed to find anyone to help with this project. Most that are skilled enough to do this don't use Mac and the last person that did got shut down by Apple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:'(
He tried a similar project to this? What do you mean shut down? They seized his computer?
GrandPrime1 said:
:'(
He tried a similar project to this? What do you mean shut down? They seized his computer?
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Click to collapse
I mean they hit him with a C&D letter that he is to stop all work on the project or risk being sued
zelendel said:
I mean they hit him with a C&D letter that he is to stop all work on the project or risk being sued
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So I guess that answers my question that it's possible. Funny how that guy that got his arm cooked by the apple watch still hasn't heard from apple, but I bet that guy got his C&D letter within hours of them finding out. Greed.
But If I can half-ass do this with VPN why would they consider it contraband to create an app? You could probably get away with saying it's just a niche VPN app.
GrandPrime1 said:
So I guess that answers my question that it's possible. Funny how that guy that got his arm cooked by the apple watch still hasn't heard from apple, but I bet that guy got his C&D letter within hours of them finding out. Greed.
But If I can half-ass do this with VPN why would they consider it contraband to create an app? You could probably get away with saying it's just a niche VPN app.
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Click to collapse
Its not that it was a contraband app its that they are very strict on what can access the imessages. Can it be done? Oh Im sure it can. Will it be worth the trouble is the real question.