Rabobank app no longer available

cupcake-alibi

Nibble0289 You can send them more detailed information about https://grapheneos.org/articles/attestation-compatibility-guide.

It's in their interest as well to support GrapheneOS, since they'll lose customers using GrapheneOS otherwise.

de0u

Nibble0289 You could try telling them that Starling Bank in the UK banned GrapheneOS for a while and then changed their mind. Maybe your bank's people might feel comfortable talking to another bank's people.

GOS21606

You did not tried the app yourself?

Rabobank app works fine for years on GOS and it still works even without Google play service.

phws

GOS21606 The app still works indeed, but it is no longer listed in the Google Play Store and will (presumably?) no longer be updated that way.

Nibble0289 have they commented on this somewhere public? I'd like to reach out to a popular newsblog and see if they can cover this, hoping it might help some...

GOS21606

phws You mean the app is no longer listed in de "Sand boxed Google play store" on GOS?
Have you tried different accounts or maybe your real Google account?

If you have no other choice you can use the webapp or use Aurora (still works)

brookie229

Nibble0289

Use a webapp version for your device if the bank can be accessed properly through your browser. I realize that is not an ideal solution (since the web app may lack several features) but there really is no other way. I hate to be a Donny Downer but very few banks (financial institutions etc) will change their minds regarding allowing GOS onto their app once they have updated the app. I can tell the OP, however, that I successfully downloaded and used one of my banking apps from Aurora when I could not do so from the Google Play Store. That was a few years ago and may not have been related to the integrity check per se.

phws

GOS21606 that's indeed what I mean. This is my main, "real" Google account and it's still allowing me to install on other (stock) Pixel devices, plus it seems I'm not the only one with the issue. As long as they don't make a formal statement somewhere, though, I guess there is hope it's a bug.

Thank you for suggesting alternatives and I will be able to work around it. The biggest annoyance is that this bank (and more and more "official" institutions in the Netherlands) are pushing apps as a secure way to log in, which would become problematic now.

Overall I think it's worth trying to persuade them to change their minds, as unlikely as that may be.

phws

An update: I have also reviewed the app and complained about this, and their response is that they do not currently support this "unofficial" OS but might do so in the future if I send them feedback in private. (The latter somewhat contradicts their response to Nibble0289 .)

I have now also sent in a request to Tweakers.net, asking if they might cover this like they have similarly covered non-standard operating systems on Android phones and possible Google Play Integrity API integration in EU apps. With that, I think I have reached the limits of what I can try, at least for now.

Nibble0289

phws Rabobank has not excplicitly told me that they will not ever support GrapheneOS again in the future. But I feel like that will either not happen or will take a (very) long time as the percentage of their customers who use GrapheneOS is probably to low for them to care about.

I will probably be going back to the stock OS for a bit. Not only because of the Rabobank app, but I also have issues with other apps and battery life being so bad on my new Pixel 9 Pro that it is worse than my 3 year old budget Motorola.

phws

Another update: tweakers.net ended up publishing! https://tweakers.net/nieuws/238036/rabobank-app-werkt-niet-meer-op-alternatieve-android-roms-vanwege-integrity-api.html

Rabobank's response is not fully accurate from a technical perspective, but what I find interesting is that they mention having to "make choices" as they would need to establish the security of "every unofficial Android version separately".

Not very hopeful, unfortunately, but that was to be expected.

Bti

Just in case anyone stumbles on this post as I did:

I bought a new Pixel 9, which was delivered, updated and fitted with Graphene OS a few days ago (1 december).

I was unable to find the Rabobank app in the Google Play Store, as it is officially incompatible. However, I was able to download and install from Aurora without a hitch. I activated using the Rabo scanner and that worked perfectly.

At the time of writing, the app appears fully functional.

I did not attempt activation with an ID card, so I can't say anything about if that works.

82561

Bti

Downloaded Rabobank app with Aurora store too and it works good!

Thanks for sharing

Badrou53

I also complained about this, both via a short Google Play review and an official complaint via the website of Rabobank explaining them how this 'security measure' actually reduces security for GOS users and referring to the attestation compatibility guide. I'm just not sure how to proceed now:

Install the Rabobank app on an old Pixel 4a after reinstalling the stock OS. This means having no firmware and OS security updates since August 2023, but having the ability to download the Rabobank app via Google Play store. I would then only use this phone for the Rabobank app.
Install Aurora store on my Pixel 8a with GOS (possibly in a separate user profile) and install the Rabobank app via Aurora store.
Not install Aurora store on my Pixel 8a with GOS and keep using the Rabobank app (originally installed via Google Play Store) as long as it keeps working. That's what I'm doing now, but since the app cannot be found in the Play Store anymore on GOS, it hasn't received updates since Rabobank forced their app to use the Play Integrity API. I'm not sure what risks I'm taking by continuing to use their app without it being updated.

DeletedUser622

Is using their web page with hardware token not an option?

Badrou53

DeletedUser622 I could, but it would be the least convenient option. Additionally, from this discussion I understand that in case of banking apps the app (if done right) is preferred over the browser in terms of maximizing security.

DeletedUser622

Badrou53 Looks like the bank has slightly different opinion on the security by preferring Google Play ~~integrity~~ certification.

I honestly can't understand the desire to stick to privacy invading apps while the web version gives the same functionality and the bank isn't app first nor app only.