Feature Request: Option to enable Airplane Mode when connected to Wi-Fi

Kerfluffle

I have a feature idea that would be useful for people using Graphene OS with a data-only eSIM, such as those provided by Silent.link, in combination with a VoIP number, such as MySudo.

Because a data only SIM card only provides internet access, it's unnecessary for it to be connected to the cellular network if the phone is already connected to Wi-Fi, which is frequently the case whenever somebody is at a location for a significant amount of time, such as at home, at work, the supermarket, or the gym.

By having an option to enable airplane mode automatically after connecting to Wi-Fi, users would have additional location privacy from the cellular network, except for when moving between locations.

Does this sound like something the developers would have an interest in putting on the "To Do list"?

Thank you!

bernard

Kerfluffle I am not one of the developers. As I think I understand, you are suggesting the option to automatically drop cellular connection after device successfully connects to a WIFI network, I like the idea and can think of some additional use cases and options. I am in the habit of manually turning on cellular only once I am a safe distance away from my house and then turning it off at about the same location when I return. This is only as reliable as my habit and memory which is not very. This may sound a bit complicated, but my ideal solution would be to automatically turn off cellular whenever I come near known WIFI access points. For example, my home and work locations can be geofenced, and once I cross the geofence, cellular switches off until I decide to turn it back on. This could provide enough obscurity in my travel patterns to avoid identification by analyzing travel patterns.

RemoverFan

Kerfluffle

Kerfluffle Does this sound like something the developers would have an interest in putting on the "To Do list"?

Maybe (I'm not one btw), though it also sounds somewhat low priority if it were to be added. I can imagine a few factors that would make this harder than it looks to implement at first glance, considering the standards this project keeps, such as how to handle connection failures, battery life, etc...

Personally, I think the possibility of having your location triangulated while moving defeats the purpose of not letting it be triangulated only when stationary. The amount of time spent at a place could still be known, for example, and I don't think it can be so precise to be able to present any meaningful risks to privacy when not moving.

Elk9877

That's a really neat idea. As long as calling/SMS via Wifi is still working, this would even make sense for any other carriers.

Kerfluffle

Elk9877 I still think it would still be best to use it with VoIP numbers, because a regular PTSN phone numbers, technically the MSISDN, is associated with the IMSI, the numerical identifier of the SIM card, which is itself associated with the IMEI, the numerical identifier of the phone itself.

Thus, if you know the phone number, you can track the SIM card, and it you can track the SIM card, you can track the phone.

With a VoIP number, the phone number is completely disassociated from the phone itself.

Kerfluffle

RemoverFan

"I think the possibility of having your location triangulated while moving defeats the purpose of not letting it be triangulated only when stationary"

From what I've read, the majority of the time cellular triangulation is used against a person, it's used in real time against stationary targets, not moving ones. Stingray devices, which also perform triangulation, are usually mounted in vehicles, such as a surveillance van. Kingfish devices are a portable version that can perform the same function.

Not only is triangulation easier against a stationary target, it's also more useful against a stationary target, because when you're stationary, you're usually at a location connected to your identity, such as your residence, or your job.

Knowledge of only one location by itself might be sufficient to identify you, but knowledge of multiple locations would identify you with nearly 100% certainty.

"The amount of time spent at a place could still be known"

They amount of time spent at a location would be known, but the location itself? Not really, unless it was already known in advance, in which case triangulation wouldn't even be necessary to begin with.

Elk9877

Kerfluffle

You could get a phone number from JMP Chat and then mobile data from Silentlink, both paid with Monero, and then adding this airplane-mode-when-Wifi idea to avoid triangulation, and then an always-on VPN -> now you're a "ghost" :)