GOOGLE password manager default in VANADIUM?

jacobb

I just realised that in Vanadium, Goggle password manager has been ticked as a service to auto completion of usernames and password.

WTF?

Am I just missing something here?

I have NOT knowingly accepted this, so the question is how this choice has been presented to me? (If at all?)

Next question is what the possible consequences are? Are the saved usernames and passwords safe from Google or is this as good as a free handout to google?

fid02

jacobb

It does not do what you think it does. Admittedly I think the UI text is confusing, especially because it also refers to "Chrome" and not Vanadium.

When Vanadium settings > Autofill services > Autofill with Google is enabled:

Your passwords stored in Vanadium will not be automatically stored in Google Password Manager. The user needs to perform various actions if they want their passwords saved in Google Password Manager:

Install Sandboxed Google Play (naturally)
Enable Google Password Manager as an OS autofill service in Settings > Passwords, passkeys and accounts. In my experience, simply installing Sandboxed Google Play will not enable Google Password Manager as an autofill service automatically.
When the user inputs a password into a password field in Vanadium, the user must explicitly choose to save the password in Google Password Manager in the UI dialog that pops up. The dialog can be rejected, and the password will then not be saved in Google Password Manager. It does not try to "trick" you into doing it; you have a clear choice.

Laurent

jacobb On the other hand, be careful, know that the Google password manager does not support passkeys on GrapheneOS

Snibby

I was confused about this at first, too.
But what I believe is happening is:

Vanadium is based on Chromium
Chromium is largely made by Google
Google has worded Chromium's password manager as Google password manager when in fact it's just saved to Chromium
Vanadium has simply inherited this wording by Chromium without changing it

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Laurent

Snibby GrapheneOS removed the translation in vanadium because it's Google, they will never put Google's password manager in vanadium.

jacobb

Thanks for tour responses.
I was thinking in those lines, but honestly got a shock. I hate google's intrusive manners and do everything I can to ovoid them.

I would be happy to see a more official reply, though.

final

jacobb The above replies are the same answer we'd give. We don't forcibly change every mention of the phrase "Google" for compatibility sake. Many of the system apps are also usually called 'com.google.appname' for the same reason because that's how they are in AOSP.