Messaging app not displaying image/multimedia files

grapheneos39663

When I receive an MMS, I see a small, blank-text, green-background box in the message thread of the Messaging app. However, the image/multimedia file is not displayed!

And if I 'long-touch' that box, I get to see options to either (a) get info icon or (b) delete message. Choosing the 'get info icon' displays a pop-up with a title of "Message Details" and the following details under it...

Type: Multimedia message
From: {From phone # here}
To: {My phone # here}
Received: {Receive Timestamp}
Subject:
Priority: Normal
Size: {size in kB}

FYI: My carrier is AT&T.

My questions are...

(1) How can I get the Messaging app to display the image/multimedia file?
(2) Can I have particular or all multimedia file types to be opened by Vanadium when clicked/chosen?
(3) Are MMS multimedia files stored by default on the phone when received? If so, in what location?

Thanks in advance.

Hulk

grapheneos39663
Hello!

Regarding carrier functionality I would highly advise you to read this section of the official documentation:
https://grapheneos.org/usage#carrier-functionality

Regarding MMS

I understand that in some communities it is still common to use MMS to share pictures. However, both SMS and MMS are highly insecure and outdated protocols. If you care about privacy and security of what you send and receive you should stop using SMS and MMS. In fact, in a recent attack called Pegasus, the attackers were sending text messages with a link. It was a zero click attack, a user didn't had to click on the link. Once you received that message, you were already pwned.

If you want to have proper private conversations (and group chats), be able to send and receive photos, videos, and other types of media use Signal.

user

Hulk n fact, in a recent attack called Pegasus, the attackers were sending text messages with a link. It was a zero click attack, a user didn't had to click on the link. Once you received that message, you were already pwned.

On that note, could editing the carrier APN removing mms help reducing attack surface? Would it break something apart mms support?

grapheneos39663

Allow me the privilege of answering my own question, which might be useful for others in future. And then, a few comments...

My setup might be a little unusual to begin with, where I treat the first user-profile I log into upon boot as a high-privilege user (the one in-charge of Settings for the device). My daily driver is another user-profile. In investigating this issue, I learned that the Messaging app is unable to interact with the user if of the 'another user-profile'-kind!

Two such situations are when...

(1) MMS has a 'Tap to Download' link (not sure if this mechanism is carrier dependent)

This link is displayed in the Messaging app only in my first user-profile. The MMS image/multimedia file will be downloaded if clicked. However, the same MMS, when viewed in my 'another user-profile', shows a 'small, blank-text, green-background box' with no way to access the image/multimedia file! One can 'long-touch' that box and select the get-info icon to see the "Message Details", but thats about it.

(2) If, for some reason, a text I am sending out requires me to 'Confirm' that that text might result in a charge and that I am OK with it. Again here, this works as required when in my first user-profile but shows "Sending..." and results in "Failed to send" or "Try again" when in my 'another user-profile' because it didn't get a confirmation.

For now, these are interesting quirks and I at least know how to get around it - access MMS and confirm sending of text when in my first user-profile. A small hassle for sure but will live with it. I would appreciate if there is a better way (i.e. Messaging app behaves the same in all user-profiles).

Now for the comments...

Firstly, thanks Mr. Hulk, I appreciate your response. I understand the dangers in SMS/MMS that you have rightly highlighted. Sadly, it is near impossible to stay away from SMS/MMS since it is the lowest common denominator. The other day, a friend of mine sent me a pic of a book cover and I had to request him to text me the title instead. He is friend enough to laugh it off that my MMS doesn't work and texted me the title, but he isn't friend enough that I could get myself to try and convince him to use Signal always!

But yeah... thanks tho. Take care.

n3w6y

@grapheneos39663 ... Thank You. This has been driving me crazy. My phone just errors and gives part of the path to the file buried deep in a directory somewhere.

I understand the security issues mentioned. Appreciate this being pointed out also. In the end friends send me pictures and videos of their lives ... I can't force them to use Signal. This is generally just family related ... not my preferred means of receiving things but cannot fix it. In this case I have the sender on Signal but they drunk send me MMS messages ... what are you going to do :)

For anyone confused, there's a 'floppy disk' icon at the top if you long press the thumbnail in the message. This downloads the MMS video to messaging in albubms. In my case, video quality is absolute shite ... but at least I can see it.

Cheers