Our research shows that phone scammers often try to trick people into performing specific actions to initiate a scam, like changing default device security settings or granting elevated permissions to an app. These actions can result in spying, fraud, and other abuse by giving an attacker deeper access to your device and data. To combat phone scammers, we’re working to block specific actions and warn you of these sophisticated attempts. This happens completely on device and is applied only with conversations with non-contacts.
Android’s new in-call protections1 provide an additional layer of defense, preventing you from taking risky security actions during a call like:
- Disabling Google Play Protect, Android’s built-in security protection, that is on by default and continuously scans for malicious app behavior, no matter the download source.
- Sideloading an app for the first time from a web browser, messaging app or other source – which may not have been vetted for security and privacy by Google.
- Granting accessibility permissions, which can give a newly downloaded malicious app access to gain control over the user’s device and steal sensitive/private data, like banking information.
Bruh, if you are falling for simple stuff like a stanger telling you to chance settings over a phone call, you’re cooked.
No “protection” can save you.
I’m nearly 100% certain that absolutely none of these protections work on AOSP. Only if you consent to be spied on by Google, does this stuff work. Even the advanced data protection stuff which lets you automatically have your phone reboot and stuff like that is only available through the Google settings which would require a Google Android device and not AOSP. This is a nothing burger.
So I should not use aosp, because that is rather insecure?
If you’re using AOSP, there’s a damn good chance that you understand security and what to be doing and what not to be doing.
If that is not you, then I would say no, you probably shouldn’t be using AOSP.
You would know if you were using AOSP.
In order to provide you with better security, Google is required to know everything about you at all times. The shareholders demand it…smh
Android’s new in-call protections1 provide an additional layer of defense, preventing you from taking risky security actions during a call like:
- Sideloading an app for the first time from a web browser, messaging app or other source – which may not have been vetted for security and privacy by Google.
Because Play Store has a history of being a haven for only the most secure of apps… 🙄🙄🙄
The malware on the internet is much worse
Not wrong, but also not mutually exclusive
That’s a really interesting set of protections: they’re targeting categories of scams and trying to prevent them.
I can see that causing a lot of problems for people walking relatives through legit tech support, but if it prevent vulnerable people from getting scammed, that may be worth it.
Making it difficult to use accessibility services was the things that made me decide I was done with Android phones.
