Hi all, I’m working each device and overall network at a time, trying to learn and make my systems right. Make them all secure, private, properly configged, running good, and have freedom! Little restrictions ala using fdroid and Foss apps.

So far I have messed around with hypatia, and it always says its running but I don’t exactly know of it is or what it should do. I just thought live malware protection sounded good.

I messed with tracker scanners and permissions tools such as warden, exodus, permissions pilot, and app manager and sure they show you all these issues, but I have no idea how to find these weird trackers, yet alone remove them. The permissions that are always deemed not say are always these weird ones in a weird format and I can never just go through the apps permissions and find them. So its all useless info for me. I can’t seem to figure out how to use them.

Just hoping you all could recommend me good apps that worked for you encompassing all aspects of your phone, like mentioned. Proper configs, finding junk or spyware or apps that shouldn’t be on my phone, protective measures, security measures, privacy measures, everything involved with keeping my phone happy and proper lol thanks for reading, hope you all could help. thanks

Edit: my lord I never specified which device lmao. I’m talking my galaxy s21 ultra android phone lol sorry

  • bbbhltz@beehaw.orgEnglish
    2·
    11 months ago

    Hypatia is interesting, but you might not need to have it running permanently.

    If your Samsung is fresh off the shelf, there is likely some bloatware on it. Apps that canot be deleted.

    If you are very serious about being a little more private and a little more secure, you could do some of the following.

    • factory reset your device and then use adb (or the Universal Android Debloater https://github.com/0x192/universal-android-debloater) to remove the recommended Google and OEM apps.
      • factory reset optional
    • you won’t be able to remove trackers, and some of them are just there for bug reporting. Being aware of them is good. There are several apps that can prevent the trackers from reporting (Tracker Controller, host blockers like InviZible Pro, etc.)
    • practice good habits: 2FA (Aegis) and password management (Bitwarden), avoid using biometric data when you can, E2EE, etc.
    • change email providers (maybe)

    Take it slow though. There is a reason why they call this a rabbit hole and it can be daunting to figure it all out.

    • Stapling9851OPEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      Awesome! That link is great BTW lol so true. I’m just concerned about what’s running on my phone or what’s improperly configured on my phone to improve security and privacy. If I check out the system apps section In the settings, there are sooo many apps that I have no clue what they are, what they do, or if they should even be on my system! Lol and as far as permissions, the permissions that apps like warden or permissions pilot deem unsafe, I am unable to find those permissions to change the settings! Its so confusing. Its like Thanks warden for bringing these to my attention, but how do I fix them?! Lol

      • bbbhltz@beehaw.orgEnglish
        2·
        11 months ago

        Sometimes you cannot, because that’s jus how the app is made.

        All those system things you might as well ignore unless you root your phone or learn some adb-fu (it isn’t hard but the first time doing causes sweaty palms).

        • Stapling9851OPEnglish
          1·
          11 months ago

          Ahh I gotcha. Honestly I’m pretty much just buying time until I can afford to buy a pixel and try a third party os