I am a Tasker enthusiast and when I can automate something simple on my phone I like to. I set a simple task to turn off WiFi when my home network is not detected so my phone doesn’t scan and report my location to businesses. However, this functionality is now nonexistent and the developer has to ask people not to one-star their app because it doesn’t work. My phone is my phone and killing my ability to use it as such for whatever security theater Google is playing at is why I root my device. Anyone else still rooting for similar reasons?
I set a simple task to turn off WiFi when my home network is not detected so my phone doesn’t scan and report my location to businesses.
I was under the impression that BSSID scanning was entirely passive, and that a phone that scans for beacons doesn’t actually reveal itself to anyone.
It was in response to the Naomi Brockwell post she did on Twitter about businesses using WiFi, Bluetooth and Location Services to track you in public locations. You can Google it directly “NBTV Advice from Defcon” or this link: https://nbtv.substack.com/p/advice-from-defcon-turn-off-bluetooth
I get how it works with wifi connections, and Bluetooth scanning (since that’s a peer to peer protocol that needs to broadcast its availability), and obviously the OS-level location services, but I’m still not seeing how seeing wifi beacons would reveal anything. For one, pretty much every mobile device OS now uses MAC randomization so that your wifi activity on one network can’t be correlated with another. And for another, I think the BSSID scanning protocol is listen only for client devices.
Happy to be proven wrong, and to learn more, but the article linked doesn’t seem to explain anything on this particular supposed threat.
This is my understanding as well, but also not an expert.
So, PinePhone is gonna be a mature project… when? Can’t be soon enough.
deleted by creator
Tasker is the reason Android is so much better than iOS
It requires Google play
Tasker? It’s provided an alternative for several years, it is literally the only paid app I know which does this.
Oh wow
I know of FairEmail, Niagara Launcher, FolderSync and Symfonium (if you DM the dev) which offer alternate payment methods.
I use macrodroid instead, though I have also paid for Tasker.
I just find macrodroid much easier to use. I learned to use Tasker, then was not using it for a few months, went back to it to implement something and god damm, what a horrible UI. I had forgotten how to use it. Decided to try macrodroid and it is just so beautiful and easy…
deleted by creator
TIL Tasker even worked without root lol.
Also, why do we even need tasker to do that? iOS allows you to do that with its Shortcuts app lol, this is a weird moment when Android is becoming more closed and iOS open (in system wide features).
Well, that is why I chuckle when people say there is no reason to root nowadays… Heck, not even banking apps will prevent me from rooting my phone, and my next android purchases are gonna be based in whether it can be rooted or not.
iOS open
So open that you need an app to send a file over Bluetooth…
Come on, you know what I meant, compare pre iOS 7 with whichever Android was at that time… You can see nowadays the release updates are switching and iOS is implementing more features (or features that it should have had since the beginning lol) and Android is closing down more (Google’s fault and no root ofc).
It barely works for Android 14+ without root. Macrodroid has much better compatibility for whatever reason.
Unfortunately rooting while passing safetynet verification is very hard or impossible lately depending on the device. If apps didn’t unnecessarily check safetynet status this wouldn’t be a problem, but since so many now the rooted phone effectively becomes a brick. I really miss the days of custom ROMs and full device automation without stupid workarounds. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any going back without app developers getting on board with an alternative to Google-verified security on Android.
MD has a companion app, and you have to grant it special rights via adb (read/write secure settings) first. might also work for tasker
Tasker has a similar companion app, it just doesn’t work with as many things on my Pixel 8 Pro as Macrodroid. The only phone automation I rely on anymore is Wifi hotspot toggling based on connected Bluetooth devices, which Tasker is incapable of now even with the companion app. I really don’t know how Macrodroid does it.
Of the automation apps my preferred UI Automate with its flows. It allows the complexity of Tasker without becoming unreadable as the automations become big. It’s harder to edit and even worse without root than Tasker.
Well, you need Tasker because that’s one of the Android equivalents of the Shortcuts app.
Sure, but I meant, how is it that we don’t have a native tool for this (like Automator) or at least a system app from Google (like Shortcuts app).
Fair, I was being cheeky. I don’t know if I trust Google anymore to make and maintain a good app or service.
Samsung has Routines. Might be worth to check out of its possible to run it outside OneUI.
I just want to enable adb over tcpip 5555 at boot.It is simply impossible on my device and I cannot disable bootloader lock.
I’ve considered it for similar reasons to your own. I like using Tasker for Bluetooth and it seems most of that compatibility is removed now as well.
Part of me wishes my Samsung note 20 would die already so I could replace it with something cheaper, less powerful, but that I actually can do what I want with, I’m never getting a phone I can’t root ever again
The issue is I only want it if it also has expandable storage, so many modern phones suck
Same. Here. I have a s21, but it is frustrating how little control I have over the device. Garbage apps like chrome are taking up a huge chunk of my storage space, but my phone won’t let me uninstall them.
As the other coment said, there are ways: https://github.com/Universal-Debloater-Alliance/universal-android-debloater-next-generation Or https://github.com/samolego/Canta
You can try to uninstall those apps with adb shell.
you can root Samsung really easily tho?
you lose some features if you decide ti go back thoDepends on the device and the country, in the case of mine no
i mean unless your phone is locked to a carrier (which is pretty rare???) there’s nothing stopping you?
On my phones model number there is no method that is publicly available at least, trust me I have researched it at least once a year sense I bought it
If it’s a modern US Samsung model originally provided by a carrier, you can’t. A long time ago, people used to find/use security exploits for Samsung phones, but I think they just don’t care much anymore since you can buy international versions or other bootloader unlockable phones.
I am a root user, yes but I only use it for migrate, a custom rom backup & restore tool.
Coming to Tasker, I tried so hard to figure it out but couldn’t do it for my use case of having custom gestures. I like to have profiles depending on whether I am home or outside, will give it one more shot for this.
Tasker is anti-libre software. We do not control it. It fails to include a libre software license text file, like AGPL.
Serious question, what would be a recommended alternative?
Not as powerful as Tasker, but for some basic automation tasks PhoneProfilesPlus is a good alternative.
Appreciate the response / information. I’ll check it out!!
Wow that’s actually a great app. Thanks.
You could just not use Google Android. Lineage OS all the way with no Google apps
Both are based on AOSP, same issue there.
Google has a disproportionate and overwhelming say in AOSP. What do you think Lineage OS is based on?
When Google makes API changes to Android, it hurts AOSP too. Can the devs try to maintain the legacy API on their own? Sure, but it’s extra effort, so it’s usually not something you can count on.
True, but there isn’t a lot of options. At least with Lineage OS the apps are all separate and not abandonware
Security and Privacy are not the same thing.
Stock Google is absolutely a hit to ones privacy, but LineageOS is a often big hit to device security.
If you don’t have a Pixel, and therefore can’t use GrapheneOS, check and see if your device is compatible with DivestOS.
However, neither will offer root support for reasons that both devs have decent write-ups explaining within each project’s documentation.
I do realize that not everyone places security above all other factors when deciding on their smartphone OS, but I think they should be aware of the trade-offs so they can make an informed decision.
Lineage OS is in fact not terrible for security. Other than a unlocked boot loader I have not seen anything wrong with it.
As for Divest OS is has all the same issues as Graphene OS.
Why do you keep stating blatantly false info as facts when it is obvious that you’re knowledge of the topic at hand is superficial at best?
In this comment thread alone you’ve stated that:
- to avoid “Google Android”, one should use Lineage OS (?)
- Apps on Lineage are some kind of separated on Lineage OS and not abandonware (??)
- Lineage OS is not terrible for security, because you haven’t found anything wrong with it besides that small little, insignificant detail of an unlocked bootloader (???)
- DivestOS has “all the same issues” as GrapheneOS(???)
Genuinely not trying to stir up shit, I’m curious. Why?
Dunning-Kruger effect
The inability to relock the bootloader is gigantic security vulnerability. It negates, or entirely voids, a significant amount of a devices physical security, including FDE.
There are other security issues with LineageOS, but that’s part of the trade-off. There’s nothing inherently sinister or incompetent about that, it’s just the nature of the beast.
Regardless, I’m not here to chastise anyone’s choice of OS, or to even imply that there is a right, and wrong ROM, there isn’t.
I was just pointing out that there are pros and cons, and users should be aware of them when making those decisions.
How does it detect your home wifi if it has turned off wifi? I don’t know Android, but the logic there seems odd. Are you using location services to drive it?
You’ve misread that. When he leaves his home network, he has it switch off wifi to prevent it being picked up by other networks. Probably has it being switched back on by cell tower / similar location option
I don’t think I did. I just assumed it would be impossible to detect the home network automatically once WiFi was automatically switched off. Unless off isn’t actually off. Or the “auto on” part was location based.
You are right, that is impossible, but it isn’t what they are doing.
They are turning it back on either manually or by some other method (cell tower for instance). This automation seems to be to just turn it off.
You’ve now misread twice. Go back and try again.
Lol
You could have been helpful and chose to be an asshole instead. Go back and think about what you did.
There’s no helping some people.
Just have your WiFi turn back on when you get back to your home, you can do location based stuff with tasker, I used to have it on my old phone and made it turn my phone on silent and turn off the WiFi when I got to work, but as soon as I got home it put my phne back to normal.
Ew Location based stuff is even less privacy. That is a feature I never turn on unless I really need directions …
Yeah thars what I said :P
No you don’t understand. See you can set it to turn on once his GPS shows he’s home again.
Yes, which i literally said “cell tower / similar location option”
Cell tower is the lowest power cost for getting location, GPS is the most power hungry.
https://tasker.joaoapps.com/userguide/en/loctears.html
I’ve used tasker for 13 years, im quite aware it can do GPS :P
Sorry, I meant it as an /s because people didn’t get you before!
I like being able to use my banking app. I do miss having proper control, though.
Meanwhile my latest phone I haven’t yet rooted but am running a custom ROM & the banking app crashes
It’s not even just banking apps anymore. Tons of libraries just check by default before allowing apps using them to run. I can’t use my local transit agency’s app with root, not can I order a fast food burger.
Yeah Micky D’s blocking root was enough reason for me to avoid installing it on my non-rooted phone for ages, because of the implication.
Did eventually cave though, saves me a few bucks once in a blue moon when I do go.
Does that effectively hide root? Because the parent repo says it’s only “guaranteed” to work for Google apps.
Shamiko does help hiding root with most apps.
Shamiko is anti-libre software. We do not control it. It fails to include a libre software license text file.
Magisk zygisk won’t work for you?
It’s been a while since I’ve rooted. I’ll look into it. Thanks for the direction.
What is?
If you root with Magisk you can still use the banking apps, at least i can.
It’s still a cat and mouse game between Google and playintegrityfix/next. If you need to rely on your phone at any time rooting isn’t really an option anymore. I don’t see Google changing to be less hostile toward device automation unfortunately.
We really need a 3rd competitor or better workaround. It would be cool if you could have a virtual Android device inside a rooted device to run apps requiring safetynet. But that’s way way way easier said than done.
Didn’t when I tried when on LineageOS. I needed that bank app for work, so got a Pixel and switched to GrapheneOS. The bank app works, and it is useful to be able to on and off Google Maps (because of traffic routing and search, when compared to Organic Maps). But LineageOS worked better. GrapheneOS has more bugs and a small community.
KernelSU looks like a better way nowadays.
shoutout to USAA banking app that detected my root, but just showed a warning and allowed me to continue. that’s how it ahould be imho
That’s pretty badass.
Big fuck you to the Belgian govt who detected my developer settings being on and blocked their app from working…
And now, even when your WiFi is off they still turn it on to “help with location tracking.” And they’re talking about taking away the ability to turn Bluetooth off.
