Status of MitID app

lbschenkel

vvdn Unfortunately that didn't solve it for me: I disabled both "OEM unlocking" (just to test, I don't want to risk having that disabled and one day bricking the phone because it fails to boot and I can't reflash) and "Developer options" and rebooted but I still get the error...

Given the reports here, I'm inclined to assume that the following is happening:

the bug is manifesting only when the app has data, i.e., you have previously enrolled the authenticator
on top of the above, maybe the app might be setting a "tainted" flag and refusing to work once it detects what it believes is tampering, even if the underlying checks now pass

I think I will need to revoke this instance of the authenticator, wipe the app data, and try setting up from scratch again, and check what happens.

vvdn

lbschenkel

Did you also reinstall the app after rebooting?

You might want to consider disabling OEM locking anyway because error seems to be triggered by that

lbschenkel

vvdn No, I did not reinstall because I was trying to avoid wiping data at all costs — if I do that I need to revoke the authenticator and re-enroll.

But given the reports here that on a new installation the error shows up and disappears, I am resigned that this instance of the authenticator is unrecoverable and I will test as a new installation.

lbschenkel

Update:

I revoked the authenticator and uninstalled/reinstalled the app. This was done with both "OEM unlock" and "Developer options" disabled. The app opens and shows the welcome screen without errors.

Then I enabled "developer options" and "OEM unlock", and rebooted. App still opens without showing any error. Then I uninstalled the app and reinstalled once more, to make sure I'm forcing a "re-validation" of the device. Welcome screen still shows without any error.

Now I need to activate (enroll) the authenticator. I started the process but for security reasons there's a waiting period for that (*) so I need to wait for it to elapse. I will try enrolling the device in the current state, with "OEM unlock" enabled, and see if it works.

Will keep you posted.

(*) They send the person an SMS notifying that there's a request to enroll a new authenticator, and you have time to contact them and block it if it was not you who is doing it.

P.S.: In the MitID website they provide an activity log, and I checked what happened yesterday, and there's the following entry: "App - temporarily blocked due to 'jailbreak' - unlocks automatically once it is removed". This confirms that something tripped the app and it reported to the mothership; but the wording claims that it would work again once the right conditions are satisfied. This clearly did not happen for me. Another interesting fact is that yesterday, at that point in time when I launched the app and it locked itself, I already had all the other GmsCompat+Google updates that other reporters claimed that "un-broke" the app.

lbschenkel

I was able to enroll with "OEM unlock" enabled and it worked. I did some authentication operations and confirmed that it works.
I rebooted the device without changing anything. Now it shows "Device is rooted" again.
Disabled "OEM unlocking". Rebooted. "Device is rooted".
Revoked, uninstalled, reinstalled app, re-enrolled (with "OEM unlocking" disabled). It worked.
Rebooted. Still works.
Enabled "OEM unlocking" to confirm that this is tripping the app. Rebooted. "Device is rooted". Confirmed that this is tripping the app.

I also saw what is happening at server-side, given the information provided in the website. Any time the app trips, it reports to the server which temporarily disables the app. This results in an entry in the activity log, and I also see that the specific installation is under a new section "Temporarily blocked authenticator".

I believe that this explains why it doesn't unblock once I disable "OEM unlocking": the app will not re-activate until the timeout passes. This "temporary block" must only happen once the app is enrolled and linked to a user profile, and that is why other reporters who have just installed it but not enrolled it see the state changing immediately.

Why is this tripping the app now, and not on previous versions of GrapheneOS? Any clue, @strcat? Was the state of "OEM unlock" invisible to apps before, but visible now?

Now I have disabled "OEM unlock", rebooted, and the app is still blocked but I believe it will come back to life once the temporary block expires. I will wait some hours and report what happens.

strcat

OEM unlocking toggle state was always visible to apps. Nothing like that has changed has at all. I think you're wrongly tying this to an OS upgrade when they upgraded their service.

lbschenkel

strcat I understand what you're saying, but at the same time how do you explain all the different reports here of users that installed this very same version of the app on the previous GrapheneOS version, and the app immediately tripping after the OS upgrade? I'm trying to reason based on the evidence presented and on experimentation.

The reason for why I'm asking for help from the developers is because you're empowered to build a new version that is the same as the previous one (since we can't roll back), and determine beyond any doubt if this is the case or not. Would GrapheneOS run in any kind of virtual machine? Then I could try to do those experiments myself.

Frankdux

I I hope you figure this out ibschenkel. I had the same issue on a fresh GOS install on a pixel 6 pro, and have now ended up ordering an analog code reader instead of the app - since as you say, you are quite lost as a danish citizen without it - hoping this will work instead.

Everything else works amazing though, and as a newbie I can say that the GOS team/developers has really outdone themselves.

/Frank

lbschenkel

Frankdux When was this? Before adopting GOS around 1 year ago I did a test an tested all essential apps, including MitID, and it just worked flawlessly. This last update was the very first time that MitID complained.

Frankdux

lbschenkel this was last week. I just got the phone and recently installed the OS.

Grkrz

lbschenkel I agree, I have used GOS for over a 6 months and the second update and which is breaking the app.. If this will continue my adventure with GOS will end. Not be able to use this app is equal to not having the INTERNET.

Grkrz

After a new OS update the app again stopped working, this insane!

rustybird

Grkrz After a new OS update the app again stopped working

What was your OEM unlocking state when it happened?

Hypothesis: The MitID app developers in their infinite wisdom might be doing some root checks only when the app sees an OS update / build number change - which could confound your testing, because it would look like the OS update was the cause when it was really just the trigger.

lbschenkel

Grkrz I agree with you in content but not in tone. Remember that this is a community project, and nobody is trying to break anything — the developers are trying to improve the OS and also having to perpetually catch up with Google regarding GmsCompat (sandboxed Play Services). The problem is that there is this single app which is essential to life in Denmark, and the app is aggressive in its "security" checks. And app compatibility is a thankless job; I am a software developer myself and I know this first hand.

That said, it is not a stretch to say that this particular update 'upset' the app in some way that it did not happen before. We have a number of reports there that confirmed it. I am also fairly confident that there is nothing in this update that should have upset the app, but the app has some stupid or buggy check that no longer passes. It would be nice to figure out what exactly it was to see if there is any workaround possible.

Unfortunately for us, Denmark is a small country. Were this app essential to life in US or another country of comparable importance, it would be such a deal breaker for any distro that the willingness to make it work (despite its faults) would be different.

Grkrz

rustybird I did reinstall the app and it worked for some time and I stopped working after some attempts. Not really sure what to do to make this app work.

lbschenkel

rustybird My phone has had "OEM unlocking" enabled ever since I bought it: I installed GOS and left it enabled since I want to eliminate the risk of having a bricked phone that does not boot and I cannot reflash from the bootloader.

I tested MitID with this configuration from day one, it was one of the "must have" apps (out of necessity, not because I like it) that I have verified working before adopting GOS as a daily driver.

I cannot explain why the update triggered the app, just that it happened for me and all the other reports here. Luckily it is still possible to have it with OEM unlocking disabled, which I have resigned myself to do. That is, until they enforce SafetyNet CTS profile checks — then it is game over.

I recommend everyone to have the code dongle as a backup.

Grkrz

rustybird it was disabled

Grkrz

lbschenkel Sure you are totally right. If this app doesn't work then this operating system is ussles in my case. The developers can ignore our issue and do not work on, it is there choice and I respect that.
I think it is mitID which is trying to be secure that's why it is breaking. I just simply can't afford to spend every day couple hours on fixing the app if I want to access my bank etc.

de0u

lbschenkel Unfortunately for us, Denmark is a small country. Were this app essential to life in US or another country of comparable importance, it would be such a deal breaker for any distro that the willingness to make it work (despite its faults) would be different.

I'm not sanguine that the U.S. government would leave room for the right outcome to happen (based on living here)--I can easily imagine they would turn on full attestation and then game over. Regardless, here is a wild idea produced by somebody who lives in a large country and has a hopeful fantasy about what might be possible in a small country:

Find an existing Danish non-profit organization with an interest in Internet privacy.
Offer to donate one low-end Pixel device per year, plus technical expertise.
Have the non-profit approach the Danish government and/or the MitID app developers, offering to donate one device per year plus N hours per month of technical expertise. Now it's not two strange people named @Grkrz and @lbschenkel complaining at them about phones running some weird OS they've never heard of and getting lost in the complaint stream, but instead an official problem report from the official liaisons of the Danish Internet Privacy Alliance (or whatever).
If that works, explain what you did to somebody in another country. Maybe Estonia? Maybe Germany? If another country can replicate this, great! It will increase the likelihood that Denmark will keep the cooperation going.
Maybe it will be possible to convince European governments in general that this is the civilized European thing to do (not like those boorish Americans with their giant duopoly tech system). Maybe some influential press organ could do a piece documenting the cooperative software-diversity-tolerating European approach (perhaps after being fed the story idea).
Then perhaps you have a cousin in Canada who might convince Canada?
Eventually, if Europe and Canada are doing something sensible, maybe it will be possible for the U.S. to realize it's a sensible thing too.

Just an idea!

lbschenkel

The last GOS update was pushed to my device and.... it locked itself again: "device is rooted". This is with 'OEM unlocking' disabled.

That's it, game over. Will need to get used to carry the dongle with me at all times.

Grkrz

lbschenkel do you if there is an officialy email to MitID developers?

MetropleX

It would appear having checked MtID that they are slow on updating the app:

As of April, 2022, the following combinations are supported on mobile phones and tablets:

Google Android 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 with latest version of Google Chrome, in-app (Custom tabs) or Samsung Browser 14 internet browser.
We cannot guarantee that MitID will work with other operating systems or internet browsers than the ones listed.

Having checked the Play Store listing it also targets SDK 32 (Android 12L).

Latest review:

Nobby Nobs
My phone is NOT rooted and I guarantee it, but since the latest update the MitID app tells me that the device is rooted every time I try to log in, and that logging in has been blocked for an hour. I can assure you the fault is with the app, not my phone. It's worked just fine until I needed to use it this morning, and I have changed or installed nothing new on my phone since the app actually worked. Fix it. EDIT: Now it's blocked my MitID completely. I hate this app so much.

Unless that is one of you then the issue definitely lies with the app not the OS and isnt something that can be mitigated or investigated until they officially update the SDK and advertise support for Android13.

If you can create an issue on the tracker post crash etc with the appropriate bug report, without this it will be difficult to address.

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