Private space is not so safe as people think

user539

Private space is a great feature but it is dangerous also for high threat model people.

It is convenient to use in main user profile, not needing to switch users always loging in and out etc.

But by using private space you are exposing your owner profile.

If a bad actor was to seize your phone while using private space then your owner is profile is exposed as it is needed to stay unlocked while using private space.

Therefore user profiles are better for high threat model people.

TrustExecutor

user539 I think this is pretty self explanatory.

goslife

user539 in fairness if you were using a separate profile and your phone was seized they would have access to that profile which is prob more of the issue. However this depends how your phone is setup. If nothing important is on the owner profile what does it matter if they get control of it? Obviously if your owner profile is your secure profile and your private space is google apps or whatever than I see your point. Guess it just depends how your profiles are setup.

I use my private space for my privacy friendly Foss apps to isolate from play services running in owner profile for use of google maps and android auto. Also useful if going through airports or danger points I can lock the private space and hid it and if TSA wants to check out the owner profile who cares. They can't get my other data. This is way more functional than using separate user profile on day to day use.

Xtreix

user539 Privacy Space is not designed to prevent theft; it's a second isolated user profile within the main profile, similar to the work profile but better isolated, which doesn't require the trust of a third-party application. This is useful for separating privacy-friendly applications from invasive ones, for example.

Here's a feature whose intended behavior is to lock the phone if a thief snatches it out of your hands: https://blog.google/products/android/android-theft-protection/

Maybe GrapheneOS could come up with its own implementation, I seem to have read about it but I'm not sure.

someone27281

user539

OK so here's the thing. My understanding is private space has access to both main and private space, but the main owner does not. Except system apps like standard file picker and stuff, and explicit files you allow it to access through the file picker.

I may be wrong tho.

GlytchMeister

TrustExecutor

For many, yes, but not for all.

Anyway, this is why I do almost everything on a secondary profile

TrustExecutor

GlytchMeister
It can be good with an explanation I agree. Thanks for educating beginners.

I think the most important use case for Private Space is for people with rather low threat model to have Play Services dependent apps easily accessible, like banking apps and the likes, to avoid switcing profiles.

It's more of a convenience feature than a security feature in this regard.

xxx

Thank you all, so I stay away from this private space.

user539

TrustExecutor the only use that I can think off is to use it to update apps instead of using a user profiles.
Or for someone that doesn't use user profiles to have private space for apps that are needed to be at rest or something similar

DeletedUser87

It's called "Private Space" not "Secure Space". I think it's pretty obvious what it does.

GlytchMeister

DeletedUser87

Not everyone on this forum understands the fundamental difference between privacy and security. The two are often used interchangeably in a lot of media, especially media talking about tools and services that are actually security theater.

Lies circle the globe while the truth is still putting its shoes on.

Enforcing a high barrier to entry to actual privacy and security does no one any good.

Just because something is obvious to you does not mean it is to everyone else, and just because something isn't obvious to someone else doesn't make them oblivious.

It is more useful to explain the difference instead of scoffing that it should be obvious.

Personally, I don't know enough to trust myself to explain it well enough. Perhaps you do?

treenutz68

user539

I like it for the couple apps I use that need google play services. That way google play services can't speak to the apps in my owner profile via IPC

DeletedUser87

GlytchMeister It is more useful to explain the difference instead of scoffing that it should be obvious.

Well, I always thought it was kind of self explanatory, but maybe I am wrong. If I had to describe the difference between privacy and security in a very short form it would be this:
"Security" in digital technology is referred to as the practice of protecting computer systems from unwanted access by any party other than a select group who owns the system. Failing to do so opens up the possibilities to an "attacker" to exploit said systems for whatever gain.
"Privacy" in digital technology describes the inherent protection of (personal) data (and associated metadata) from unwanted parties. Failing to protect your privacy results in third parties collecting information about you to exploit it for whatever gain.
Breach of security: loss of control over a computer system. Breach of privacy: loss of control over your data.
While these two commonly overlap, I think the difference is pretty obvious when you think about it for a minute.

N1b

GlytchMeister It is more useful to explain the difference instead of scoffing that it should be obvious.

In case it's useful, I have a simple way of explaining the 3 main concepts security, privacy and anonymity to my peers:

Security: Protection for your assets/data against unauthorized access. A successful attacker would "take what you have". Real world example: Locking your car increases security.
Privacy: Control over what information you share. A successful attacker would "know what you do or have". Real world example: Putting your car in a garage increases privacy.
Anonymity: Ability to stay unidentifiable, mostly by hiding in a crowd of lookalikes. A successful attacker would "know who you are". Real world example: Taking and changing taxis instead of driving your car will increase anonymity.

For all these concepts you'll have to ask "against whom do I need to be secure/private/anonymous" and "what are the consequences if I fail". Then you can find the right tools, habits and backup strategies to achieve your goal.

Private space could be an answer to the question "How can I permit apps from sharing my data while using them simultaneously on the same device?". It solves specific privacy concerns.

Let me know if I got anything wrong or if you have a better way of explaining these things, I'm always happy to learn.

Hmm

someone27281 I asked about this in the first private space discussion, apparently apps in private space can’t see or talk with apps in the owner or any other profile, the only access to the main profile it seems to have is provided by the system like the file picker and clipboard.