Re:Keep Android Open
by strcat on Wednesday October 29, 2025 @08:09PM
(#45754785)
Eylenburg's site has comparisons between a bunch of different types of software and services with a significant focus on privacy, security, free speech, etc. The focus of his site is up to him. For the Android comparison, GrapheneOS is the only privacy and security hardened OS included in the comparison. DivestOS used to be included before it was discontinued. An OS not including Google Mobile Services and branding itself as private based on that is a much different thing than a privacy and security hardened OS. Which other Android-based hardened OS could be included in the comparison?
None of the operating systems listed in the comparison include app accessible root access. Giving unconstrained root access to a huge portion of the OS including the application layer including a GUI application for managing firewall rules is not a good approach to implementing it. Managing firewall rules is entirely possible to implement while following the principle of least privilege and not substantially reducing OS security. In fact, Android has standard support for it.
RethinkDNS is a good example of an app providing support for local filtering via the VPN service app feature without losing the ability to use a VPN. RethinkDNS supports using a WireGuard VPN or even multiple chained WireGuard VPNs while doing local filtering of both DNS and arbitrary connections. It can filter connections based on the results of filtered DNS resolution. That's the approach that's used by Android so that's inherited by every OS in the comparison.
GrapheneOS is the only OS that's listed fixing all of the leaks for standard VPN lockdown feature which is needed to prevent leaks for firewall apps including RethinkDNS based on the VPN service app feature. That's not listed by the table, although it could be and it would make sense for someone to file an issue proposing listing it. Many GrapheneOS privacy and features are not listed by Eylenburg's comparison and a lot of what's listed are under huge categories such as "Hardened system components".
None of the operating systems listed in the comparison include app accessible root access. Giving unconstrained root access to a huge portion of the OS including the application layer including a GUI application for managing firewall rules is not a good approach to implementing it. Managing firewall rules is entirely possible to implement while following the principle of least privilege and not substantially reducing OS security. In fact, Android has standard support for it.
RethinkDNS is a good example of an app providing support for local filtering via the VPN service app feature without losing the ability to use a VPN. RethinkDNS supports using a WireGuard VPN or even multiple chained WireGuard VPNs while doing local filtering of both DNS and arbitrary connections. It can filter connections based on the results of filtered DNS resolution. That's the approach that's used by Android so that's inherited by every OS in the comparison.
GrapheneOS is the only OS that's listed fixing all of the leaks for standard VPN lockdown feature which is needed to prevent leaks for firewall apps including RethinkDNS based on the VPN service app feature. That's not listed by the table, although it could be and it would make sense for someone to file an issue proposing listing it. Many GrapheneOS privacy and features are not listed by Eylenburg's comparison and a lot of what's listed are under huge categories such as "Hardened system components".