G
Ghj456

  • Apr 1, 2023
  • Joined Oct 26, 2022
  • In Anonymous Browser setup

    Tor is very slow so I was thinking about using a technique called browser isolation. The setup I was thinking about is Vanadium with adblocker and protonVPN. I will be using google search engine and many different websites but no personal information will be used, so I should remain anonymous?

    Just wanted some advice about this setup.

    Also remember hearing about some settings should be further tweaked. Something about AMP and it should be on/off or something but vanadium does not have this option? Also safe browsing should be disabled or something? Any other settings I should tweak?

    Thanks in advance

    • In VPN

      What informationn can a VPN on GrapheneOS collect and know about you if you turn off all permissions and only allow internet access and notifications.

      For example, can it see what I am doing if I am on my internet browser or another app? hear my telephone conversations? see whatever window is opened and all the information displayed on the screen etc?

      Please only answer you if you know the answer to avoid confusion, thank you.

    • In How to communicate between profiles? Signal?

      From what I read it seems that signal is very secure for communication and privacy. Which resulted in me installing signal on my seperate profiles so that I can communicate between profiles on my grapheneos device. I thought I could have one number linked to the signal apps downloaded on seperate profiles but it seems that it does not allow me to do this therefore I can't communicate between profiles.

      Am I missing something to solve this issue or is there a better way to communicate between profiles.

      • In YouTube

        I am somewhat familiar with how organisations can track you when it comes to using a browser such as cookies, DNS requests, IP address, browser fingerprint.

        When it comes to apps, I have no clue.

        Basically, I have been using a frontend YouTube app called New Pipe. (I believe there is also one called Libretube). I run this app through Orbot.

        With my lack of knowledge about how apps work, I am just assuming that this setup is enough to completely stop YouTube from knowing any information about me and tracking me. Am I correct?

        Watching YouTube on Newpipe is very slow when running through Orbot. Also, Frontend YouTube apps like Newpipe do not seem to be able to search videos based on filters ( last hour, his week, this month etc). Is there a way to solve these 2 problems? Perhaps a front end app that masks your IP address from YouTube so I do not have to use Orbot and also allows me to search videos based on filters?

        • In Notifications

          matchboxbananasynergy Go to settings on your GOS phone, then go to notifications and scroll all the way down. It is the last one called "enhanced notifications". Enable enhanced notifications, the message will pop up.

          • In Vanadium - privacy questions

            sugseg52 I had the same question too a while back but I do not think Vanadium is intended to be made as a browser to make you annonymous but instead to make you as secure as possible when you browser the internet.

            The best browser for privacy and anonnymity seems to be the tor browser.

            So you can use vanadium for day to day use and for things you want to remain anonymous for use the tor browser.

            I also feel like coveryourtracks does not take into consideration some fingerprintable information. For example, if i still remember correclty it includes screen resolution but not the size of your browser window.

            • In Notifications

              matchboxbananasynergy What about enhanced notifications? When enabling it in settings it says:

              "Enhanced notifications can access notification content, including personal information like contact names and messages. This feature can also dismiss or respond to notifications, such asanswering phone calls, and control Do Not Disturb"

              Which company collects this information and should this be turned off for privacy?

                • In Notifications

                  Are there any privacy concerns by enabling notifications?

                • In Vanadium - privacy questions

                  Oggyo

                  "Close tabs on exit" does work. You need to make sure that you remove vandium from not running in the backround. Open vanadium then put your finger at the very bottom of your phone on the plastic part (below the screen) and then slowly drag your finger to the screen. You will now see a list of apps running in background that you recently used. Now just remove Vanadium and this is you "exiting" completely and should now result in your tabs being closed.

                  • In Questions about GrapheneOS and related topics

                    Volen

                    Wait, websites know what dns server you used? So if I connect to youtube.com then google will know the dns server I used to resolve the IP address of youtube.com?

                      • In Questions and feedback for new grapheneos user.

                        missing-root

                        So if I use the aurora store, google can still take the original apk file and change it and no one will notice it? I thought apk files downloaded from aurora store is open source therefore if google did modify the file then it would be discovered? Was this the case for Firefox? Did google take the Firefox file and modify it or did Firefox have this tracking from the start? Also what google firefox tracking are you specifically talking talking about, if you can link me an article about it. Is it this one? https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/kh6398/friendly_reminder_that_firefoxs_tracking/

                        My initial approach was to download apk files directly from the company's website but not all of them have it available to download on their website. I then tried to find these apps on fdroid but they also did not have it. I then resorted to downloaded the apk file from aurora store as this what was recommended to do. The reason why I am using browsers like Brave is because it is what is recommend by privacy channels such as Techlore. You are the first person to recommend me an app like Mule.

                        Apart from being easier to be fingerprinted, isnt installing add ons invasive because they ask for pernissions where they can see what you do and type in your browser therefore it is best to limit them? Like you said, I guess it depends what the threat model is and what the browser will be used for.

                        The difference of opinion and lack of clarity just makes it even more confusing and stressful than it already is for laymen like myself who are new to the privacy world.

                          • In Apps

                            What is thr best way to watch YouTube apart from through tor browser for privacy? Even though tor does a good job for fingerprinting I feel like google is still able to identify me. I was thinking about installing Newpipe. What information would google know about me if I use Newpipe. I assume that Google will just have my IP address and this can be fixed by running newpipe through a VPN such as Orbot?

                            Also, any recommendations for an app similar to Microsoft word but best for privacy?

                            • In Questions and feedback for new grapheneos user.

                              unwat Thanks for reply and help.

                              Isnt Tor also gecko based and therefore have the same issues as firefox?

                              Does "picture in picture" also have possible privacy issues as "display over apps"?

                              • In Questions and feedback for new grapheneos user.

                                I am a new grapheneos user. I love the operating system! I have had my pixel phone for a couple of weeks now but I have not been using it because I am trying to gain the knowledge to make sure I do everything as perfect as possible when it comes to having a private phone. I guess I am experiencing information overload and I need to actually just start using my damn phone!

                                So my first question is what are some ways I can harden the OS before I even start using the phone and before I start installing apps? For all the default grapheneos apps, I have turned off pretty much everything: permissions, background mobile data, open links, display over other apps, modify system settings. Location is turned off. Keeping the wallpaper to the default colour. Wifi and bluetooth scanning turned off and wifi and bluetooth is turned on only when I need it. Wifi mac address is randomized. This is the default changes I will have for every profile that will be created on my phone.

                                My second question is about profile setups. Again, feedback will be appreciated how I can harden my profile setups to be as private and secure as possible for my needs. The owner profile will not be used at all and will be locked with a password. I will have three additional profiles:

                                Profile 1: A physical sim card will be used and this profile will therefore be used as my personal profile where I will be installing the Firefox browser to do personal unannonymous activities such as banking, online shopping etc. The only other app that willil be installed on this profile will be the aurora store to install and update the firefox browser.

                                Profile 2: This will be used for anonymous activities such as creating and using annonymous social media accounts. The brave browser and Orbot will be used to achieve this. The only other app installed will be the aurora store to install and update these 2 apps.

                                Profile 3: This profile will only have Tor browser installed.

                                Additional questions:
                                1) I have heard conflicting opinions about installing browser plugins. Some say it is not good for privacy or security but the Tor browser itself has plugins installed out of the box. Obviously Tor is not normally used for personal unanonymous activities therefore the plugins would not know much about you and hence why plugins on Tor is not really an issue? For my 1st profile for unanonymous activities, should I install a plugin such as Ublock Origin on the Firefox browser? Even though the firefox browser will be used for unanonymous activities, it would be nice to have Ublock Origin to block requests being made to trackers. But would having Ublock Origin be a privacy or security concern?
                                2) If I use display over other apps, is this a privacy concern? For example, if I use Newpipe over the brave browser, what information does newpipe have access to. Does it see what I type and everything shown on the browser?

                                Sorry if I wrote too much. It is not easy for a noobie like me to learn and implement a privacy lifestyle without the help of other humans!