Accessibility Menu privileges

Hanna

Hello! I have a question regarding the accessibility menu in settings: Whenever I want to enable the accessibility menu shortcut in the settings a pop-up appears and asks if I would like to grant the accessibility menu control of my device which includes "view and control screen" and so on.

Does this have any privacy or security disadvantages?
I'm assuming it doesn't since it's a system app which is installed on the device anyways?

de0u

Hanna Does this have any privacy or security disadvantages?

The warning is because all accessibility apps have the ability to do many dangerous things such as recording what is on the screen and what you type. Enabling the built-in menu code is not particularly dangerous on its own, but the warning is because of what the menu is designed to enable.

If you need accessibility options, turning them on is OK if you are mindful of exactly what you are enabling. The warnings are because malware seeking to capture passwords has abused accessibility options in the past.

If you are in a position to state exactly what you wish to achieve it may be possible for people here to provide detailed guidance.

Hanna

de0u Thanks for replying!
Tbh I dot really need this accessibility feature. It'd just be convenient since I got used to an iPad before where the volume buttons and the power button were on the top left in landscape mode, now they're on the top right which feels a little awkward to press for me.

No matter how I rotate the tablet they won't ever be on the top left in landscape mode unless I turn the screen 180 degrees away from me meaning the tablet (obviously) lacks full directional and mirror symmetry so it exhibits anisotropic behavior regarding its functional interface.

Those accessibility features would allow me to easily take screenshots change volume and lock the tablet with touch gestures and without having to so some awkward unfamiliar moves with my hand haha.

If enabling those accessibility features would significantly degrade my security I wouldn't want to do that. I just thought since it's implemented in GOS already it shouldn't matter if I enable them or not because I'm just granting an already installed system app those permissions.

de0u

Hanna Having played with the on-screen accessibility button a bit, I suspect it's not a big risk. But unless an expert audits it, it could be exploitable if there were a malicious app installed. If you are careful about sticking to reputable apps that might be less of a concern.