iOS vs Ubuntu Touch privacy

domubpkm

@Geriwedu Yes, we have MUCH more confidence in the control of our personal data with UT than the most common phone OSs . This is a purpose of this OS, and that's one of the reasons we use it!

arubislander

I agree that devices running Ubuntu Touch are not monitored or tracked in any privacy invading way. But I do have to wonder about the accusations levied against Apple below:

@Geriwedu said in iOS vs Ubuntu Touch privacy:

If Apple turns off the servers, the Apple devices are useless.

iOS has a remote keylogger from Apple (all your keypress sent to Apple)

iOS connects in the background with many undocumented domains from Apple (over 120 domains in over 24 hours of use).

In the interest of this platform not being used to spread FUD, do you have any sources to back these claims up?

PhoenixLandPirat

iOS has full disc encryption by default, Ubuntu Touch has no easy way to activate encryption, there is a way to encrypt your home folder using the terminal, but its coversome, we dont have PGP support in Dekko, nore do we have any encrypted messaging app.

Its true that we don't have extra things to spy on you, which iOS and Android do have, but we also don't have extra things to protect you, so as much as I'd love Ubuntu Touch to be the best OS for security, it's not ready for that label yet, when we get easy home encryption, and the ability to either message or email with encryption, then it'll be much closer to that future.

PhoenixLandPirat

Just found out about this, so we do have a pgp app which is fantastic!

https://open-store.io/app/enigma.hummlbach

PhoenixLandPirat

This post is deleted!

TotalSonic

There is a functional native Signal client (Axolotl) now in the Open Store, and there is a beta for TELEports available that allows the UT device to initiate an encrypted "secret chat" for Telegram, and there is a clunky but functional webapp available for Wire - so there is in fact a number of ways to send and receive encrypted messages from a UT device currently.

Also - if one needs to have end to end encrypted notes, the Standard Notes UT webapp allows to access these online with an option for them to be password protected.

But it would be great if encrypting our home folders was made much easier to do in the future - hopefully a developer will take on this task at some point.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

A Former User

@TotalSonic how can I get the beta TELEports version? Can't find it on gitlab.

PhoenixLandPirat

@TotalSonic said in iOS vs Ubuntu Touch privacy:

There is a functional native Signal client (Axolotl) now in the Open Store, and there is a beta for TELEports available that allows the UT device to initiate an encrypted "secret chat" for Telegram, and there is a clunky but functional webapp available for Wire - so there is in fact a number of ways to send and receive encrypted messages from a UT device currently.

Also - if one needs to have end to end encrypted notes, the Standard Notes UT webapp allows to access these online with an option for them to be password protected.

But it would be great if encrypting our home folders was made much easier to do in the future - hopefully a developer will take on this task at some point.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

Signal is a good shout, Telegram has always been a bit dodgy, and IDK much about wire.

However, yes Signal, and in the future we'll have encryption via Kaidan and FluffyChat, so we're getting/have some options.

AppLee

@PhoenixLandPirat said in iOS vs Ubuntu Touch privacy:

Signal is a good shout, Telegram has always been a bit dodgy, and IDK much about wire.

Then what app in commercial world do you trust ? Whatsapp
Signal for me is the best solution waiting for FluffyChat to support E2EE.

TotalSonic

@thilov - search for teleports.ubports_0.5.0.191007202829_armhf.click posted by Flohack on the "UBports QA and testing" Telegram board. The code for contact list and secret chats needs a few bug fixes but should be merged into the upcoming 0.6 TELEports release before the end of the year.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

PhoenixLandPirat

@AppLee What do you mean by Commercial?

I trust Matrix, Xmpp w/ Omemo, and I quite trust signal.

The matrix guys make money, Some XMPP people make money, IDK if signal makes money.

AppLee

@PhoenixLandPirat I was talking about messaging solution available on IOs and Android (commercial OSes)
Ok, I see what you meant.

I don't have a real need for a secure message app. I use Signal and Teleport with my GF mostly and most of my communication is SMS, email or phone calls.
For larger communication I rely on FB Messenger because most of my friends have FB and use it.

The security came from the way I use the services and the information I disclose...

MarkG_108

Well, I'm glad to read that Ubuntu Touch takes privacy more seriously than does iOS. I've never used iOS nor do I plan to. OTOH, I did make a build of LineageOS 14.1 for the Nexus 5, to try it, and I will say, that it:

offered to encrypt the entire phone if I so chose, and...
gave the option of disallowing any apps that exceeded certain specified access settings (granted, I can't recall the exact settings it specified, but I do recall it giving some such option -- which I did take and which did not limit the basic functionality of the phone).

I haven't yet seen anything close to this from Ubuntu Touch.