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How Google Alters Search Queries to Get at Your Wallet
(www.wired.com)
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this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2023
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Technology
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Why is that? On a rooted device you still benefit from Google scanning installed apk, and root access is protected by an explicit accept dialog.
It's the exact same setup as UAC on Windows or the admin prompts on Linux and Mac.
The rooting process itself often involves running an exploit and trusting whoever wrote the rooting tool not to use that exploit to do anything undisclosed. If you wanted to install an undetectable rootkit, slipping something into such a tool wouldn't be a bad way to do it.
It most certainly does not. Exploits were used a decade ago, nowadays you unlock the bootloader using a manufacturer-provided key. And regardless of the key you need physical access to the device and rebooting into a special runtime.
You just answered your own question. How many users click approve without thinking? How many install Xposed modules that intentionally, or unintentionally, create security issues?
I didn't say rooting will break your security, just that it can. Rooting exponentially increasing the attack surface, which for some users isn't a concern, but for your average user, it probably should be.
In this case, this person wanted to increase his privacy, which is why I recommended what I did.
Also, FWIW, there's a reason why GrapheneOS and DivestOS specifically design their ROMS to NOT be rooted and to RELOCK the bootloader.
Saying "rooting can harm the security of your device significantly" is like saying "crossing the street exposes you to mortal danger". It's technically true but fails to take into consideration a huge amount of factors, to the point it loses all meaning. Either qualify your statements or refrain from making such generic ones.
You do realize that most of the Internet runs on servers where people have admin access? And there's no shortage of attacks against machines on the Internt. If they can manage to function under these conditions I think my phone will also be fine.