SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
fliptop writes:
"Promising that orders will start shipping in June, Silent Circle has announced the Blackphone is ready for pre-orders. (Domain registered in Switzerland)
Touted as 'The high-end smartphone which puts privacy and security ahead of everything else' the Blackphone has a 4.7" screen, 2GHz quad-core CPU and 16GB storage. It also includes several Silent Circle apps.
The Blackphone makes use of a customized version of Android called PrivatOS, is fully unlocked, and the encryption can be used on any compatible network. Purchase includes a 1-year subscription to the apps; after that it's $10 a month (in addition to your carrier's charges).
In order to take advantage of the encryption, the other person you're communicating with has to have their own Blackphone or use Silent Circle apps on their Android or iOS phone."
(Score: 5, Interesting) by dmc on Monday February 24 2014, @07:37PM
I would consider it less of a Soylvertisement if the editors had done some reseach and tried to point out the best purely FOSS alternative groups attempting the same basic level of security.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by melikamp on Monday February 24 2014, @08:00PM
purely FOSS alternative groups attempting the same basic level of security
A purely FOSS alternative would in fact offer security and privacy. This phone offers neither, and the sales pitch is a bold-faced lie. From their site:
allows users to regain control over their communications activities
With apps available by subscription, I am assuming they are closed-source. No mentioning is made of OS components being FOSS, so I am assuming the OS and the kernel also contain binary blobs, just as they do in every commercially available android-based phone. Ergo, all claims about security and privacy are pure bullshit. And with the price tag like that, this is a phone made especially for suckers.
(Score: 5, Informative) by hemocyanin on Monday February 24 2014, @08:06PM
RedPhone: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org. thoughtcrime.redphone&hl=en [google.com]. thoughtcrime.securesms&hl=en [google.com]
TextSecure: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org
both by: https://whispersystems.org/ [whispersystems.org]
both open source, with a button to download the source right under the the "get the app" buttons.
One thing about RedPhone -- after about 10 minutes you need to wear heat resistant mittens to hold your phone. But I love TextSexure.
(Score: 5, Informative) by melikamp on Monday February 24 2014, @08:30PM
This is all fine and dandy, but it still runs on top of your stock Android, no? I am not aware of a single Android platform that does not contain binary blobs in the kernel. In particular, the wireless adapter and the power management is powered by blobs. The part that authenticates your phone to the network is also a blob. If it wasn't, you'd be able to spoof your SIM ID, which you absolutely cannot on any commercially sold phone.
The only correct effort towards securing an Android phone I am aware of is the Replicant, and I don't think it's usable yet [replicant.us].
(Score: 5, Insightful) by hemocyanin on Monday February 24 2014, @09:15PM
I completely agree. Here's the "but" -- why make it any easier for the spies? A vulnerability in one of the binary blobs would probably be of a type that gives the evildoer root, and they could then get whatever. To get there, they have to target you in some way, or hope you get hit with some bit of malware, and write tools (which will need updating as systems and programs change) that will convert your keystrokes to sendable text, get the content of your received messages and resend them, etc. etc. None of that is impossible or even unlikely, but it is a whole lot more effort than simply putting a splitter on a backbone and copying every bit of plain text as it passes -- no need to worry about patches closing old vulnerabilities, or app updates breaking your tools, or any other myriad issues.
So, while encrypting the data may not be foolproof, it does increase the resources the NSA must expend to get a bunch of cat pics, in which case, conservation of those resources may well seem wise, and encourage them to do their actual job, which is monitoring overseas communications.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 25 2014, @02:57AM
> But I love TextSexure.
And now we know what you use it for. :)
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Tuesday February 25 2014, @04:41AM
I've had to reread this several times to see my typo. I was about to write a "I don't get it" note. What a classic Freudian slip that!
(Score: 1) by r00t on Monday February 24 2014, @08:30PM
RE: I would consider it less of a Soylvertisement
I like that the editor had the forethought to take the time and point that out in the summary... so there would be no mistaking it for advertising.