Antivirus

Sagebath

Is anti-virus recommended with GOS? I thought phones don't need it, but saw a tech article that suggested that.

n3t_admin

Sagebath no and they also don't work, since they would need elevated privileges that user apps can't obtain to work properly. It's all snake oil.

Watermelon

n3t_admin This isn't true. Antivirus and any app can see the list of installed apps and read their installed APK files including their assets, native code, and Dalvik code. I also wouldn't call it snake oil, although the industry has lots of misleading marketing, and antivirus can never be a reliable security “solution”, unlike solutions like (for example) Android's sandboxing (which GrapheneOS improves with user-facing improvements like granting access only to specific files in shared storage and additional permissions) which are reliable security measures. For just scanning installed apps, an antivirus needs nothing but Network permission, and Notifications if you want. That's it. Many antivirus apps demand excessive permissions, I recommend avoiding them.

Sagebath Note that if you have Google Play Store installed, it comes with Play Protect built-in. I think it's also enabled by default. You can opt-in to scanning apps not recognized by Play Store too. Don't disable Play Protect because there's no good reason to disable it, and it might save your ass some day. Just don't rely on it thinking that you can be safe from malware because it's enabled.

n3t_admin

Watermelon Antivirus and any app can see the list of installed apps and read their installed APK files including their assets, native code, and Dalvik code

Like these?

Watermelon

n3t_admin Like these?

This doesn't invalidate my reply to you in any way. You claimed they can't work at all because they require elevated privileges. I said that's not true and explained why and what they have access to. The fact there's some especially ineffective or even scam products is irrelevant to my reply.

Edit: You also said they're “all snake oil”. Do you think Google Play Protect is snake oil? It's not there to keep you safe but it still works sometimes. And it requires zero further permissions than the very basics that are needed anyway for Google Play Store.

n3t_admin

Watermelon can't work at all because they require elevated privileges

I said they can't work properly. As in: like desktop versions. And that's still correct. Play Protect is also not a classic antivirus like the others that can only detect through badness enumeration.

Watermelon

n3t_admin Play Protect is also not a classic antivirus like the others that can only detect through badness enumeration.

Badness enumeration is exactly what Play Protect does…

n3t_admin I said they can't work properly. As in: like desktop versions. And that's still correct.

Yes there's certain things they can't scan, for example the memory contents and private files of other apps. This might limit their effectiveness, but it's much much better this way. Sandboxing is an excellent security measure! The fact that the antivirus can work in a sandboxed manner with reduced privileges and can't scan private content of other apps is a good thing even if it means it might be less effective.

Wadder

Watermelon this statement is inconsistent, how can something be good but ineffective?

@Sagebath I for one, would suggest a well configured DNS or reliable VPN provider would better protect a user alongside the already well enhanced features that GOS provides.

Antivirus isn't inherently bad but that it wouldn't offer any greater protection than what features are freely availability on the OS.

Watermelon

Wadder this statement is inconsistent, how can something be good but ineffective?

I didn't say "ineffective", I said "less effective", which can still be more effective than ineffective.

Edit: My "good" word was about the antivirus being contained and unable to invade your privacy or reduce your security if not granted excessive permissions (and less so than on desktops if it is granted them), not about the antivirus being good (i.e. effective more than less).