GBoard and Google Play Services (Check IPC)

CoffeeTime03

I would like to install GBoard as my keyboard.
On the privacy note, I've read this thread (https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/412-using-google-keyboard-privately) and I do agree on removing the Network permission from GBoard.
What scares me however is the actual possibility of inter process communication between GBoard and Google Play Services.
Google Play Services has, on my device, the Network permission due to notification handling (and its on the same work profile) so I its not to rule out the possibility that they could have built in mutual consent to IPC.
I could be overthinking it but is there any way to check whether IPC between two applications happen? Or possibly block it as an extra permission node?

MetropleX

CoffeeTime03 the only thing that Play Services might communicate is that you are using GBoard as it can see all install apps in that particular user.

If you revoke network and then try to do something that requires a connection to Google servers you will see the toast that GBoard cannot connect to Google Servers right now so you can rest easy.

CoffeeTime03

MetropleX is there a way to confirm this?
I underline again that I am not referring to Play Services alone but rather communication between the two.
I am concerned that "operational" tasks (feedback, crash report, potentially data) are managed by Play Services rather than GBoard itself by establishing a connection between the two. (Again not Play Services acting alone but mutual approval for communication between the two)

I mention this for GBoard, but this might apply to anything 'google related' such as Google Photos or Camera.

demiurg594

CoffeeTime03 so have you find an answer on your question ? cause ive got the same

nullable

demiurg594 there isn't anything we can do to prevent apps from communicating with each other through IPC mechanisms. . Fortunately it's well enough hidden that unless you have a Windows pc nearby, (with some other conditionals) it"s unlikely you'll recognize anything

Dumdum

nullable there isn't anything we can do to prevent apps from communicating with each other through IPC mechanisms.

For now, until App Communication Scopes gets released.

AlphaElwedritsch

Dumdum until App Communication Scopes gets released

Is this pure wishful thinking or is there more detailed information on this?

Dumdum

AlphaElwedritsch
Its already a long-planned feature that's been mentioned/discussed several times, see relevant github issue:
https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/2197

SgtSurehand

I am already applying IPC scopes by removing Play Services from the equation. Using GBoard and Pixel Camera, without network and any issues.

demiurg594

SgtSurehand how to apply IPC scopes?

Byku

Regarding GBoard (and other popular big tech keyboards) there is a very interresting research text. I mentioned it in another topic but couldn't find the link back then. So here it is now:
https://www.scss.tcd.ie/Doug.Leith/pubs/gboard_kamil.pdf
TL;DR is GBoard will log your usage including number of letters in a word typed, typing speed, app used, language set etc. These logs are then handled by Google Play Services so GBoard does not need direct internet connection to send them. The better news is if you opt-out of telemetry in the app settings the logs will be much more minimalistic.