5 ms·

Sorry, I don't understand. What do you mean by "give Apple/Google root access"? I've always assumed they already have that.. if no, how does OWS give them root

• e12e 10y ago
  You can compile Signal yourself, and install it on a rooted phone, running presumably a Linux kernel and some Android/ASOP sub-system. In that case, excepting base-band backdoors and a few other details, Google won't have access to your phone at all (assuming no Google services etc here). OWS doesn't then allow you to use their servers for routing/discovery etc - so you need to run your own servers, and set up a different network that cannot federate with the one users of the Google Play Appstore version of Signal use. If you do that, and install eg. the F-Droid store, you've now given another actor (the F-Droid store) access to your phone. OWS argues that in general you're less likely to manage to run a safe, patched system this way.
  • haffenloher 10y ago
    > You can compile Signal yourself, and install it on a rooted phone [...] OWS doesn't then allow you to use their servers for routing/discovery etc ? That's a misunderstanding. You can of course use the official servers with your self-compiled version. (side note: I also don't think your phone needs to be rooted for this)
    • e12e 10y ago
      Ok, that makes sense. It's only compiled binaries distributed through third party app stores that cannot (should not) use the official servers?
      • haffenloher 10y ago
        Yeah, they prefer if you don't distribute your builds (i.e. something named Signal and / or using their servers) to other people (because they don't actually know what's inside the builds, they've got no update channel, etc.)